THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 

GIFT  OF 

MR.  AND  MBS. 
ALFRED     R.      GIFFDI 


THROUGH 


SH  A:  30  w 


TO 


SUNSHIN 


FITCH. 


"No  man    shall    arise    in    the  judgment   and  say    'Doctor 
Benjamin  Rush  made  me  a  drunkard.'" 

— Doctor  Rush  in  1775. 


HASTINGS,  NEBRASKA. 

GAZETTE-JOURNAL   COMPANY. 
1885. 


TO    THE    MEMORY    OF 

MY  FATHER, 

WHO,  THOUGH  HE  HAS  ENTERED  INTO 
THE  KI'.ST  THAT  KEMAINETH, 

STILL  LIVES 

IX   HIS  LOVING  COUNSELS  AND   PIOUS  EXAMPLES, 
AND  TO 

MY  MOTHER, 

AT    WHOSE     KNEE     I    EARLY     LEARNED 

THOSE  PURE  PRINCIPLES 

WHICH  HAVE   BEEN  THE   GUIDE   A.\*D  SAFEGUARD 

OF  MY  LIFE,  THIS    LITTLJJ  OFFERING    IS 

>  ' 

AFFECTIONATELY   DEDICATED  BY 

THE  AUTHOR. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year 
1881,  by  II.  P.  FITCII,   in  the  office 
of  the  Librarian  of  Con 
gress,  Washington. 

[ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED.] 


CONTENTS. 


I. — The    Students 5 

CHAPTER  II. — The  Wedding 1 1 

CHAPTER  III — Gathering   Shadows 21 

CHAPTER   I V — Plotting 28 

CHAPTER   V — The  Victim 43 

CHAPTER   VI — The  Comforter 62 

CHAPTER  VII — The  Shadows  Deepen 72 

CHAPTER   VIII— The  Cup    Full 79 

CHAPTER   IX — The  Blackness  of  Darkness 92 

CHAPTER   X — The  Trial 109 

CRAPTER   XI — The  Morning  Dawneth 143 

CHAPTER   XII — "Asa   Whirlwind." 167 

CHAPTER   XIII — Sunshine 178 

CHAPTER  XIV — Conclusion 185 


754866 


PREFACE. 


For  a  number  of  years  the  Author  of  this  little  volume 
has  been  in  the  habit  of  keeping  a  memorandum  of  the 
various  incidents  coming  under  his  own  observation,  illus 
trative  of  the  laws  regulating  the  traffic  in  intoxicating 
drinks.  In  the  following  pages  he  has  endeavored  to 
weave  these  various  incidents  into  the  form  of  a  simple 
story,  in  the  hope  that  it  may  aid  those  who  are  so  earn 
estly  striving  to  save  our  country  from  this  great 
national  evil. 

He  is  fully  conscious  of  its  many  demerits  as  a  literary 
effort,  and  trusts  this  frank  acknowledgement  will,  as  much 
as  is  proper;  disarm  criticism.  It  h<is  been  written  at  odd 
times,  snatched  from  the  most  possible  busy,  active  life,  in 
many  cases  during  hours  that  should  have  been  devoted  to 
sleep.  The  scenes  are  mostly  given  just  as  he  knew  them 
in  some  cases  not  even  the  name  being  changed. 

With  an  earnest  prayer  that  it  may  accomplish  its  pur 
pose,  that  by  it  some  weak  ones  may  be  strengthened,  and 
sorrowing  ones  be  encouraged  to  labor  and  to  hope,  he 
sends  it  forth  on  its  humble  mission.  H.  P.  F. 


Through  Shadow  to  Sunshine. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    STUDENTS. 

In  a  small,  plainly  furnished  room  in  the  sec 
ond  story  of  a  house,  in  one  of  our  beautiful 
eastern  cities  sat,  in  earnest  conversation,  the 
two  friends,  Harry  Ferguson  and  Harry  Wards- 
worth.  They  had  met  together  to  spend  their 
last  evening,  before  passing  out  from  their  stu 
dent  life  to  meet  the  sterner  duties  of  their  pro 
fession.  They  had  not  only  been  fast  friends, 
but  had  been  both  room  and  classmates, 
through  all  their  course,  in  that  pride  of  Ameri 
can  culture,  Yale  College. 

Now,  their  course  was  completed,  and  howev 
er  firm  and  lasting  their  friendship,  their  paths 
in  life,  must,  from  this  point  diverge. 

They  had  graduated  with  the  highest  honors 
of  their  class,  had  delivered  their  graduating 
orations,  had  listened  to  the  parting  advice  and 
counsel  of  the  President,  and  had  met  in  their 
room,  to  spend  together  their  last  evening, 
before  going  out  into  the  world,  each  one  to 
take  his  own  way,  and,  though  in  different 
fields,  to  engage  in  the  great  battle  of  life. 

It  was  a  deeply  interesting  hour  to  the  two 
friends.  It  was  the  hour  in  which  they  took  a 


b         THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

review  of  the  past,  and  with  earnest  eye, 
sought  to  scan  the  future.  Their  friendship 
had  been  such  as  is  only  formed  in  college 
halls.  Well  fitted,  each  to  attract  the  other, 
they  had  early  been  drawn  together  by  mutual 
tastes  and  aims,  and  their  friendship  had  deep 
ened  with  every  year  of  their  acquaintance. 

They  had  been  members  of  the  law  depart 
ment,  and  had  labored  to  thoroughly  prepare 
themselves  for  the  duties  of  their  profession. 
And  certainly,  among  all  those  who  were  to  go 
out  from  those  college  halls,  no  two  students 
gave  better  promise  of  future  success.  Well 
read  in  legal  lore,  with  a  mind  trained  to  close 
thought,  and  a  power  of  concentration  possessed 
by  few,  combined  with  an  eloquent  delivery,  all 
who  had  the  pleasure  of  their  acquaintance 
predicted  for  them  a  most  brilliant  future. 

In  size  and  form  they  were  much  alike. 
Standing  nearly  six  f^et,  well  proportioned, 
with  a  noble,  manly  bearing,  they  were  men 
who  would  attract  attention,  even  in  a  multi 
tude.  Ferguson  was  the  senior  of  his  friend 
by  one  year,  having  reached  the  age  of  twenty- 
five. 

"So  you  have  finally  decided  to  follow  the 
setting  sun  and  pitch  your  tent  in  Cedarville?" 
remarked  Ferguson  to  Wardsworth,  as  he  help 
ed  himself  to  a  glass  of  wine  and  then  passed 
the  decanter  to  his  companion. 

"Yes,  Ferguson,   I   have   decided  to   try   it 


THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  7 

there,"  replied  Wardsworth  as  he  filled  his 
glass;  "it  is  a  beautiful  little  city  of  about  ten 
thousand,  and  is,  withal,  a  most  thriving  place. 
As  I  have  told  you  before,  on  the  death  of  my 
parents,  I  became  possessed  of  a  little  money, 
sufficient  to  purchase  me  a  nice  residence,  and 
I  do  not  know  of  a  better  place  to  invest  it  than 
in  Cedarville.  I  propose,  after  a  time,  to  secure 
me  a  good  home,  and,  settling  down  to  hard, 
earnest  work,  do  my  best  to  honor  the  profession 
I  have  chosen.  But  you  have  not  yet  told  me 
anything  concerning  your  plans." 

uNo,  for  the  simple  reason  that  I  have  none. 
I  shall  fulfill  a  promise  I  have  made  my  parents 
to  go  home  and  visit,  and  recruit  for  a  few 
weeks,  and,  in  the  meantime,  look  around.  I 
have  thought  some  of  going  into  the  State  of 

,  and  hanging  out  my  shingle  in  some  of 

the  new  towns  springing  up  there,  but  I  have 
not  yet  decided.  Were  I  to  clo  so,  we  would 
not  be  quite  as  far  apart  as  if  I  remained  in  the 
East.  One  thing  is  certain,  Wardsworth,  there 
is  room  for  us,  us  one  of  the  great  men  said, 
'in  the  upper  story,'  and  I  for  one  am  going  to 
make  an  effort  to  climb  up  there.  We  shall 
both  make  our  mark  somewhere,  I  hope.  You 
have  the  advantage  of  me  a  little,  in  having 
some  money  to  start  with.  I  have  nothing  but 
willing  hands  and  a  determined  spirit,  but 
these  are  enough  in  this  country,  to  enable  a 
man  to  succeed.  I  shall  expect  to  see  the  name 


8  THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE. 

of  Harry  Wardsworth  written,  in  a  few  years, 
very  high  up  in  the  list  of  America's  brilliant 
lawyers,  and,  perhaps,  statesmen." 

"As  to  that  I  cannot  say,  Ferguson,  I  certain 
ly  intend  to  do  my  best,  and  I  have  high  hopes 
of  accomplishing  some  good  while  I  live.  I 
think  I  can  say  that  simply  making  money,  or 
merely  a  living, 'was  not,  by  any  means,  the 
primary  object  I  had  for  choosing  the  profes 
sion  of  law.  The  power  of  dointr  good;  of  es 
pousing  the  cause  of  the  weak  against  the 
strong;  the  satisfaction  of  sometimes  being  able 
to  protect  the  oppressed  agamst  the  tyranny 
and  injustice  of  the  oppressor — for,  you  know, 
we  have  these  things,  even  in  our  own  land- 
has  weighed  as  much  with  me  in  making  my 
choice,  as  anything  else.  One  thing  I  have 
resolved  never  to  do,  let  the  consequence  be 
what  it  may,  and  that  is  to  degrade  my  profes 
sion  by  espousing  an  unrighteous  cause  for  the 
sake  of  gain." 

UA  noble  resolution,  truly,  Wardsworth,  and 
one  I  hope  we  shall  both  be  able  to  carry  out. 
The  law  can  either  be  made  a  power  for  good, 
or,  a  mighty  instrument  of  evil,  and  which,  de 
pends  on  the  disposition  and  motives  of  the 
man  who  wields  it.  And  yet,  I  apprehend  we 
shall  have  some  difficulty  in  carrying  out  these 
resolutions.  I  can  easily  imagine  cases  in  which 
we  may  be  perfectly  satisfied  of  the  justice  of 
our  cause,  and  yet  be  mistaken.  There  is 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         9 

where  those  fine  powers  of  perception,  the  pos 
session  of  which  I  have  sometimes  almost  envied 
you  ,  will  serve  you  a  noble  purpose.  When  do 
you  leave  for  Cedarville?" 

"To-morrow  evening.  I  am  somewhat  impa 
tient  to  get  there  and  get  to  work.  I  hope, 
Ferguson,  wherever  you  settle,  the  friendship 
that  has  been  so  warm  during  our  college  life 
will  not  be  allowed  to  grow  cold  by  our  contact 
with  the  sterner  duties  of  our  profession." 

"I  most  cordially  reciprocate  that  wish  my 
dear  friend,  but  our  country  is  so  large,  and 
our  professional  men  acquire  the  habit  of  such 
close  application  to  business,  that  it  will  not  be 
much  wonder  if  we  drift  apart,  save,  perhaps, 
as  we  occasionally  cross  each  other's  path  in 
the  swift  journey  through  life.  Ah,  well!  I 
suppose  it  must  be  so,  and  I  am  ready  to 
assume  my  share  of  life's  burdens;  but,  as  far  as 
enjoyment  is  concerned,  I  could  be  very  well 
satisfied  to  spend  a  few  years  in  old  Yale  yet." 

Thus  the  two  friends  continued  their  conver 
sation  till  past  the  hour  of  midnight .  There 
was  go  much  of  the  past  to  be  recalled,  so  much 
of  the  future  to  be  explored.  What  plans  they 
laid!  What  high  and  lofty  purposes  they  ex 
pressed!  What  noble  resolutions  they  formed, 
and  strove  to  strengthen  each  other  to  carry 
them  out!  How  grand  and  noble  life  appeared 
to  them  as  they  looked  off  into  the  future! 
Oh!  could  they  have  lifted  the  curtain  and  read 


10  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

all  of  their  future  life,  could  they  have  known 
all,  how  they  would  have  shrunk  back  dismayed! 
Could  they  have  seen  all  the  bitter  heart 
struggles,  the  blasted  hopes,  the  blighted  pros 
pects,  the  withered  joys!  But  they  could  not; 
and  so,  full  of  that  ardent  enthusiasm,  that 
throbs  in  the  breast  of  every  young  man  who 
makes  his  mark  in  life,  they  resolutely  prepared 
to  buckle  on  their  armor  and  go  forth  to  fight 
life's  battle.  Will  they  be  able  to  carry  out 
all  those  noble  resolutions?  Will  they  realize 
all  their  bright  anticipations?  Fair  and  beau 
tiful  appears  their  barque  as  she  turns  her 
prow  toward  the  other  shore.  Will  she  nobly 
defy  the  storm  and  the  tempest,  or  will  she, 
with  dismantled  rigging,  go  down  beneath  the 
angry  billows?  We  shall  see. 

The  next  day  was  spent  by  Wards  worth  in 
making  a  few  calls  on  personal  friends,  and 
packing  his  trunks  for  his  departure.  The 
nine  o'clock  bell  struck  as  the  train  which  was 
to  bear  him  away  reached  the  depot.  With  a 
last  shake  of  the  hand,  and  amid  many  wishes 
for  future  success,  the  friends  separated,  and 
Wardsworth  turned  his  face  toward  the  setting 
sun,  to  carve  out  for  himself  a  name  and  a 
destiny. 


CHAPTER   II. 

THE  WEDDING. 

Three  years  have  elapsed  since  the  events 
narrated  in  the  last  chapter,  and  we  find  our 
selves  in  the  beautiful  city  of  Cedarville,  in  the 
State  of  — .  Wonderful  indeed  has  been 
the  progress  of  the  city  during  those  three 
years.  Its  population  has  increased  from  be 
tween  ten  and  twelve  thousand  to  over  fifteen 
thousand,  with  all  the  advantages  and  improv- 
ments  of  a  city  of  the  first-class.  As  we  walk 
along  its  finely  paved  streets  and  admire  its 
large  and  costly  brick  blocks,  we  instinctively 
exclaim:  "How  wonderful  is  this  growing 
West!" 

On  one  of  the  most  prominent  business 
streets,  on  the  ground  floor  of  an  imposing  and 
handsome  block,  we  notice  a  large  and  attrac 
tive  looking  office.  We  pause  and  read  on  the 
nicely  painted  shingle,  "Harry  Wardsworth,  At- 
toriiey-at-Law."  At  once  we  are  reminded  that 
three  years  ago  this  was  the  city  toward  which 
the  young  lawyer  looked  from  the  halls  of  his 
Alma  Mater. 

So  far  he  has  succeeded  beyond  his  most  sail- 


12  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

guine  expectations.  Possessed  of  a  brilliant 
intellect,  a  fine  personal  appearance,  extensive 
erudition,  and  a  gift  of  eloquence  excelled  by 
few,  he  had  at  once  taken  his  place  among  the 
foremost  lawyers  of  the  State.  He  has  invested 
his  money  prudently,  and  is  now  the  happy 
possessor  of  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  cost 
ly  residences,  on  one  of  the  finest  streets  of  the 
city.  At  present  he  has  gone  East  on  impor 
tant  business,  whither  we  will  follow  him. 

It  was  a  bright,  glad  May  morning  in  one  of 
the  interior  cities  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
Nature  had  put  on  her  most  beautiful  robes, 
as  if  in  anticipation  of  the  happy  event  which 
was  that  day  to  be  consummated.  Never  had  the 
birds  sung  more  sweetly.  ,  Never  had  the  flow 
ers  bloomed  more  beautifully,  nor  given  forth  a 
more  delightful  fragrance.  Never  had  the  sun 
shone  more  brightly.'  So  thought  Belle  Har- 
grave,  as  she  looked  forth  from  her  chamber 
window,  and,  with  a  heart  full  of  glad  hope, 
contemplated  all  the  varied  scenes  of  beauty  by 
which  she  was  surrounded  And  gladly  did 
her  own  heart  respond  to  the  voice  of  Nature 
in  rendering  praise  to  the  Giver  of  all  good.  To 
her  this  is  to  be  the  day  of  all  the  days  of  her 
life:  it  is  her  marriage  day.  This  is  the  day  she 
is  to  publicly  plight  her  vows  of  life-long  devo 
tion  to  the  man  of  her  choice,  "For  better,  for 
worse,  till  Death  do  us  part."  With  what  ea- 


THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  13 

ger  joy  she  seeks  to  scan  the  future!  As  she 
looks  forth  on  all  the  beautiful  picture  Nature's 
hand  has  painted,  she  exclaims,  uHow  beautiful 
is  earth!  How  bright  and  cloudless  are  the 
skies!  Even  so,  Father,"  she  added  reverently, 
"if  it  be  Thy  will,  may  the  sky  of  my  life  be 
ever  bright,  until  its  sun  goes  peacefully  down 
without  a  cloud  to  obscure  its  departing  rays." 
And  she  truly  believed  it  would  be  so.  Even 
so  does  the  hand  of  Destiny  hide  from  our  eyes 
the  book  of  fate.  What  mattered  it  to  her, 
-though  she  had  spent  the  last  night  in  the  dear 
old  home  that  had  ever  been  her  shelter  and 
refuge!  That  henceforth  that  dear  house,  with 
all  its  pleasant  associations,  was  to  be  her  home 
no  more.  That  the  kind  and  loving  parents, 
whose  gentle  hand  had  so  tenderly  led  her, 
should  no  more  be  her  guardians,  her  guide. 
That  this  day  she  is  to  go  to  a  land  of  stran 
gers,  having  taken  upon  herself  the  solemn 
vows  of  wife!  True,  she  felt  sad  at  the  thought 
of  leaving  her  parents  all  alone.  That  she 
could  no  more  be  permitted  to  soothe  their  cares 
or  minister  to  the  wants  of  their  declining 
years.  That  they  could  no  more  listen  to  her 
voice  in  song,  or  her  merry  laugh,  save  as  they 
came  to  them  in  their  dreams  of  night.  But, 
for  herself,  there  was  no  thought  of  sorrow. 
Fancy  painted  the  future  in  such  glowing  col 
ors,  that  her  heart's  only  wish  was  to  hasten 
forth  to  meet  her  life's  destiny. 


14  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

Ah!  well  it  is  for  us  that  we  cannot  read  all  the 
future.  That  Fancy's  hand  so  gently  touches 
the  canvas,  011  which  is  painted  the  scenes  of 
our  life's  destiny,  that  all  the  lines  are  fair,  and 
all  the  picture  beautiful.  What  heart  would 
be  brave,  or  what  feet  could  steadily  tread  the 
pathway,  did  we  but  know  of  all  the  thorns  by 
which  they  are  to  be  lacerated?  Happily  for  us 
we  do  not,  and  so,  with  a  brave  heart  and  a 
steady  purpose,  we  press  on,  and  when  the  way 
grows  rough  and  our  feet  grow  weary,  a  gift  of 
strength  is  imparted  by  which  we  may  still 
overcome. 

A  rap  at  the  door  aroused  Belle  Hargrave 
from  her  reverie,  and,  hastening  to  open  it,  her 
sister  Kate  entered.  "Good  morning,  sister 
Belle,"  said  her  visitor,  as  she  planted  a  kiss 
upon  the  cheek  of  the  fair  young  girl.  For  an 
swer,  Belle  threw  her  arms  around  her  sister's 
neck,  and  looking  up  into  her  face,  said,  "Oh! 
Kate,  I  am  so  happy.  Do  you  think  it  possible 
that  anybody  else  could  be  as  happy  as  I  amf 

"I  doubt  if  any  other  bride  elect  would  be  as 
thoughtless  as  you  are,"  she  answered,  return 
ing  her  salutation.  "Here  it  is  after  seven 
o'clock  and  Harry  is  to  be  here  at  ten.  Come, 
let  your  castle  building  rest  for  awhile  and 
bring  yourself  down  to  the  matter  of  fact  busi 
ness  of  dressing  yourself  for  your  intended 
marriage."  Thus  admonished,  the  younger  sis 
ter  allowed  herself  to  be  seated,  while  the  elder 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  15 

one  began  to  array  her  for  the  ceremony  that  so 
soon  was  to  make  her  the  wife  of  Harry  Wards- 
worth. 

"Do  you  know,  Kate,"  continued  Belle,  as  the 
sister  went  011  with  her  toilet,  "I  never  thought 
I  could  be  any  happier  than  I  have  been  here, 
with  you  and  our  dear  parents.  I  am  almost 
surprised  at  my  own  capacity  for  happiness." 

"True,  sister,"  replied  Kate,  "every  new  joy 
develops  some  new  capacity  to  retain  it,  as  every 
new  sorrow  develops  some  new  power  to  endure 
it.  Very  happy  indeed  does  the  future  appear 
to  you,  my  dear  sister,  but  it  is  well  to  bear  in 
mind  that  it  is  not  always  the  brightest  morn 
ing  that  gives  us  the  most  cloudless  day.  While 
I  would  not  cast  a  shadow  over  your  pathway, 
I  would  suggest  that  it  is  better  to  be  prepared 
to  meet  the  shadows,  and  then,  if  your  life  be 
all  sunshine,  so  much  the  more  will  you  enjoy 
it. 

"True,  sister,  but  is  it  not  better,  instead  of 
borrowing  trouble,  to  enjoy  whatever  of  happi 
ness  there  is  in  the  present,  and  if  the  future 
bring  sorrow,  to  meet  it  nobly  and  bravely?" 

"Most  certainly,  Belle,  I  would  not  have  you 
borrow  trouble,  as  you  term  it,  but,  oftentimes, 
by  looking  ahead  we  can  see  where  trouble  lies, 
and,  by  a  judicious  course,  shun  it." 

"Why,  Kate,  you  cannot  possibly  see  any 
trouble  in  my  future,  can  you?  Am  I  not  to 
have  one  of  the  noblest  and  best  of  men  for  my 


16  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

husband?     Am   I   not   to  have  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  homes  (you  know  I  showed  you  a  pho 
tograph  of  it),  and  every  thing  to  make  me  com 
fortable  and  happy?     What  more  can  a  woman 
ask  or  wish?1' 

"True,  sister,  and  I  do  earnestly  pray  that 
your  fondest  anticipations  may  be  realized.  But 
you  will  admit  that  I  am  three  years  your  sen 
ior,  and  have  been  two  years  married  already, 
so  I  have  had  a. little  more  experience  than  you. 
And  I  tell  you  this,  dear  Belle,  there  is  no  home 
into  which  there  does  not  enter  a  shadow.  It 
will  enter  your  home,  in  some  form  or  another, 
for  every  human  life  is  made  up  of  a  mixture  of 
sunshine  and  shadow." 

uAnd  pray,  you  dearest  and  best  sister."  re 
plied  Belle,  looking  up  with  an  arch  smile, 
"look  along  the  pathway  on  which  I  am  so  soon 
to  enter,  and  see  if  you  can  discern  any  clouds 
or  shadows  there." 

"There  is  but  one  cloud  that  I  can  discern  in  all 
the  sky  of  your  life,  so  far  as  I  am  able  to  scan 
it,"  replied  the  elder  sister,  and  her  voice  became 
grave,  almost  to  sadness. 

"And  what  is  that,  dear  Kate,"  she  asked 
with  a  sudden  pain  at  her  heart. 

"I  am  told  your  intended  husband  has 
one  habit  of  which  I  wish  he  was  dispossessed." 
she  added  with  earnestness. 

"  Oh!  I  know  what  you  mean.  You  refer  to 
his  habit  of  drinking  wine,  do  you  not?  I  ad. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  17 

m't,  Kate,  if  it  were  possible  for  anything  to 
make  me  happier  than. I  am  now,  it  would  be 
the  assurance  that  Harry  never  tasted  liquor  of 
any  kind;  but  I  have  so  much  love  for  him  and 
so  much  confidence  in  him  that  I  have  no  fears 
for  the  result.  He  is  the  very  soul  of  honor, 
and  loves  me  most  devotedly,  and  this,  I  am 
sure,  will  help  to  keep  him  from  temptation. 
Besides,  Kate,  you  know  how  firmly  we  have 
been  taught  to  believe  in  the  power  of  prayer. 
I  do  believe  in  it,  and  this  is  the  strong  ground 
of  my  hope.  I  have  resolved  to  rely  on  this  in 
every  time  of  trial,  even  supposing  trials  do 
come." 

"You  cannot  tell,  dear  sister,  how  I  .rejoice  to 
hear  you  say  so;  for  I  do  assure  you,  there  is 
no  refuge  from  sorrow  like  this.  While  I  do 
earnestly  hope  that  your  future  life  may  be  all 
your  fancy  has  pictured  it,  I  do  know,  and  it 
may  grieve  you  to  say  this,  no  man  can  continue 
the  habit  of  liquor  drinking  without  falling, 
more  or  less,  beneath  its  power.  And  when 
once  he  has  fallen,  how  very  seldom,  may  I  not 
say  never,  has  he  the  power  to  rise,  only  as  he 
is  lifted  by  a  Power  from  on  high." 

"But  surely,  dear  Kate,  you  don't  think  there 
is  any  danger  of  Harry,  do  you?"  and  the  tears 
came  into  her  eyes.  "You  almost  frighten  me, 
your  words  are  so  solemn-" 

"I  have  not  said  there  is  danger  in  his  case; 
and  yet,  for  your  sake,  I  wish  he  were  entirely 


18  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

free  from  the  habit.  More  than  that,  Belle,  I 
wish  his  feet  were  planted  on  the  same  Rock 
on  which  you  and  I  have  been  enabled  to  take 
refuge.  I  wish  he  were  a  temperance  man  and 
a  Christian,  then  I  believe  I  could  rejoice  for 
you  with  a  full  heait." 

'•Well,  Kate,  since  you  have  spoken  so  freely, 
I,  too,  could  wish  it  were  otherwise;  but  I  cannot 
believe  there  is  danger  and  have  even  laughed 
at  my  own  fears.  I  do  not  now  believe  there 
is  danger.  True,  Harry  is  not  a  Christian, 
though  he  seems  good  enough  to  be  one,  but  he 
likes  Christian  people,  and  has  taken  a  pew  in 
the  church.  He  knows  I  am  a  Christian,  or  try 
ing  to  be  one,  and  says  he  loves  me  all  the  bet 
ter  for  it.  I  have  thought  all  these  things 
over,"  with  a  pure  earnest  look  into  the  face  of 
her  sister,  "and  I  have  made  my  choice.  If  sor 
row  comes  I  shall  pray  God  to  give  me  a  brave  heart 
and  a  patient  spirit.  This  cup  of  joy  has  been 
placed  to  my  lips,  and  I  will  not  make  its  con 
tents  bitter  by  anticipation.  On  one  thing, 
however,  I  am  firmly  resolved:  Never  by  word 
or  act  will  I  countenance  the  use  of  liquor  in 
any  way.  I  have  told  Harry  this,  and  he  heart 
ily  approves  my  decision." 

"I  am  so  thankful  to  hear  you  say  that,  Belle! 
You  are  starting  right.  Keep  to  that  resolution, 
and  then,  whatever  comes,  you  cannot  reproach 
yourself  for  being,  in  part,  the  cause  of  your  own 
sorrow.  Oh!  how  many  a  wife,  and  mother  too 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  19 

as  they  have  wept  over  the  dishonored  graves 
of  their  loved  ones,  have  found  their  bitterest 
sorrow  in  the  reflection  that  they  have,  with 
their  own  hands,  sown  the  seeds  from  which 
they  are  reaping  a  harvest  of  misery.  Keep 
faithfully  to  the  course  you  have  marked  out, 
and,  with  God's  blessing,  you  may  hope  for  a 
prosperous  and  happy  life." 

At  that  moment  a  carriage  drew  up  at  the 
front  gate,  and  through  the  shutters  the  sisters 
'saw  the  bridegroom  elect,  Harry  Wardsworth, 
alight,  and  hastened  their  preparations. 

The  hour  of  ten  found  a  goodly  number  of 
relatives  and  friends  assembled  in  the  parlors 
of  the  Hargrave  residence,  to  witness  the  mar 
riage  of  the  fair  Belle.  She  had  grown  up  from 
infancy  in  their  midst  and  was  a  general  favorite 
with  all.  They  had  known  her,  only  to  love 
her.  She  was  so  full  of  innocent  mirth,  of  joy 
ous  activity,  and,  withal,  so  kind  and  gentle, 
that  she  held  a  large  place  in  the  affections  of 
all  who  knew  her. 

As  she  stood  there,  dressed  in  her  bridal 
robes,  while  the  aged  pastor,  who  had  known 
her  from  childhood,  pronounced  the  solemn 
words,  that  made  one,  those  two,  already  united 
in  heart,  "henceforth  to  live,  for  better,  for 
worse,  until  death  do  you  part,"  a  look  of  sub 
lime  devotion  rested  upon  her  countenance,  and 
she  appeared  like  some  angel  from  a  purer, 
happier  clime.  She  had  laid  her  heart,  her  all.. 


20  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

on  the  altar  of  her  devotion.  Will  the  sacrifice 
be  merely  consumed?  or  will  the  hallowed  in 
cense,  bearing  the  fragrance  of  her  love,  ascend 
to  the  throne  of  the  Eternal,  and  move  the 
heart  of  God  to  overshadow  her  continually 
with  the  blessing  of  his  favor? 

The  parents  of  the  bride  strove  to  be  cheer 
ful,  but  there  were  tears  on  their  cheeks,  and  a 
close  observer  could  have  detected  a  look  that 
told  not  only  of  sorrow,  at  parting  from  the 
child  of  their  affection,  but  of  anxiety,  lest  this 
bright  and  cloudless  morning  be  but  the  har 
binger  of  a  day  of  gloom. 

The  marriage  ceremony  was  ended.  The 
bridegroom  and  bride  had  received  the  congrat 
ulations  of  their  friends,  the  last  meal  had  been 
taken  in  the  dear  old  home  of  her  childhood, 
and  Belle  Hargrave,  now  Mrs.  Harry  Wards- 
worth,  was  ready  to  start  on  her  journey,  to  her 
new  home  in  the  distant  West.  A  few  mo 
ments  were  spent,  at  her  own  request,  with  her 
parents,  in  the  privacy  of  their  own  room. 
uLet  me  go,"  she  said,  "with  my  father's  voice 
in  prayer  yet  sounding  in  my  ears,"  so,  kneeling 
down  together,  the  man  of  God,  in  tremulous 
tones,  commended  her  to  the  care  of  a  covenant- 
keeping  Father. 

The  hour  of  departure  arrived.  The  last 
"God  bless  and  keep  you,"  had  been  spoken,  the 
last  kiss,  the  last  wave  of  the  handkerchief  giv 
en,  and  Harry  Wards  worth  and  his  young  wife, 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  21 

their  hearts  filled  with  a  glad  hope,  were  away, 
alike  on  their  journey  of  life,  and  to  their  home 
in  the  beautiful,  though  distant  west. 


CHAPTER  III. 

GATHERING    SHADOWS. 

Five  years  more  have  elapsed,  and  again  it  is 
bright,  glad  spring-time  in  the  beautiful  city  of 
Cedarville.  It  is  the  hour  of  midnight.  The 
restless  activity  of  business,  and  the  busy  hum 
of  industry  have  given  place  to  the  silence  of 
rest  and  repose.  Night  has  come  down  and  re 
leased  the  rich  man  from  his  business  and  the 
poor  man  from  his  toil.  The  lights  are  extin 
guished,  and  the  city  is  in  darkness,  save  here 
and  there,  where  some  lone  watcher  keeps  his 
vigil  beside  the  couch  of  suffering,  or  awaits 
the  coming  of  a  belated  traveller;  or,  it  may  be, 
the  noisy  reveler  still  continues  his  revelry  and 
dissipation,  and  foolish  man  "puts  an  enemy  in 
his  mouth  to  steal  away  his  brains." 

On  one  of  the  most  fashionable  streets  stands 
a  beautiful  and  costly  residence,  in  which  the 
lights  are  still  burning.  In  the  sitting  room  an 
anxious  watcher  sadly  waits  the  return  of  one 
who  is  dearer  to  her  than  life.  Hour  after  hour 
through  the  long  evening  has  she  waited,  lis 
tening  to  the  tramp  of  hurrying  feet,  as  they 


22  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

hastened  to  the  quiet  and  rest  of  home,  until 
the  last  hurrying  traveller  has  passed,  and  still, 
her  husband  conies  not. 

"Twelve  o'clock  and  Harry  not  home  yet!  Oh! 
how  can  I  endure  this  agony?"  and  the  wife  of 
only  five  short  years  throws  herself,  in  the  hope 
lessness  of  her  grief,  on  the  sofa,  and  gives  way 
to  a  flood  of  tears: 

"What  have  I  done  to  cause  this  great  sor 
row!  Why  have  I  been  thus  robbed  of  my 
husband's  love?  But  no!  I  will  not  believe  he 
has  lost  his  affection  for  the  wife  of  his  choice. 
Oh!  it  cannot  be  that  he  no  longer  cherishes  a 
love  for  his  wife,  and  the  dear  boy  who  bears 
his  own  image  and  name.  Could  he  but  tear 
away  from  the  influences  that  surround  him! 
could  he  but  break  the  chain  that  binds  him! 
could  he  have  strength  to  carry  out  his  resolu 
tions,  he  might  even  yet  recover  himself.  Oh! 
God,"  she  cried,  "that  I  could  aid  him  in  this! 
That  I  could  help  him  break  this  accursed  chain, 
that  he  might  once  more  be  free.  Oh,  how  help 
less  I  am!  I  can  do  nothing  but  weep  and  suf 
fer.  Nothing!  Surely  I  cannot  so  soon  forget 
that  'The  name  of  the  Lord  is  a  stong  tower, 
whereunto  the  righteous  may  flee  and  be  safe.' 
True  there  is  nothing  left  me  but  prayer.  That 
refuge  never  yet  has  failed;  and  to  that  truest 
source  of  comfort  I  will  go;  and  kneeling  down 
before  Him  who  has  said  "Come  unto  me,  ye 
that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         23 

you  rest,"  she  poured  out  her  burdened  spirit 
in  an  agony  of  supplication.  And  the  Comfor 
ter  came  down,  and  above  the  darkness  and 
the  storm  was  heard  the  voice  which  stilled  the 
wild  waves  of  Gallilee,  "Peace;  be  still."  Her 
soul  understood  the  word  of  the  Master,  and  her 
faith  rose  up  above  the  lowering  clouds  and 
rested  on  the  Divine  promises. 

Only  five  short  years  before,  on  a  bright, 
glad  spring  morning,  we  saw  her  who  now 
weeps,  as  she  lonely  watches,  standing,  in  all 
the  joyous  ness  of  her  young  life,  and  plighting 
her  vows  to  the  man  of  her  choice.  Then  all 
was  bright  and  joyous.  Fancy  painted  her  fu 
ture  in  the  most  glowing  colors.  Hope  beck 
oned  her  on,  and  pointed  with  its  radiant  finger 
to  brighter  scenes  beyond.  How  eagerly  she 
pressed  forward  to  quaff  the  cup  of  bliss  that 
Hope  held  to  her  lips!  How  brightly  bloomed 
the  flowers  along  the  pathway  on  which  her 
feet  had  entered! 

But  alas!  for  the  heart  that  trusted.  Alas! 
for  the  hopes  so  bright;  for  the  love  so  devoted 
and  the  man  so  noble!  With  all  that  joyous 
sunshine,  the  shadow  was  even  then  gathering. 
One  little  cloud  appeared  on  the  horizon,  so 
small  as  to  be  almost  imperceptible  by  one 
whose  hope  was  so  buoyant,  and  whose  love 
was  so  pure.  As  we  have  seen,  Harry  Wards- 
worth  had  learned  to  "look  upon  the  wine  when 
it  was  red."  Secure  in  the  consciousness  of  his 


24         THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

own  strength,  lie  had  not  dreamed  of  danger. 
Generous  to  a  fault,  he  had  been  confiding  and 
trusting,  where  he  ought  to  have  been  suspi 
cious  and  guarded.  Little  by  little,  slowly  but 
surely,  the  deadly  serpent  had  wound  around 
him  his  fatal  coils.  Tighter  and  firmer  had  he 
bound  him  until  at  last  the  victim  lay  helpless 
Sit  the  mercy  of  his  foe. 

The  devoted  young  wife,  ever  watchful  for 
him  she  loved,  saw  the  danger,  and  faithfully 
sounded  the  alarm.  With  a  voice  made  tremu 
lous  by  her  fears  and  her  devotion,  she,  at 
first,  reasoned,  then  plead,  and  then  as  the 
cloud  grew  larger,  and  the  shadow  deeper,  with 
strong  supplication,  she  besought  him,  for  the 
love  he  bore  her,  to  grapple  manfully  with  his 
foe  and  conquer. 

But  why  need  we  write  the  history?  It  is 
lout  the  history  of  thousands,  over  all  this  land. 
Every  city,  every  town  and  village  has  written 
it.  In  the  records  of  our  courts,  in  the  wrecks 
that  fill  our  prisons  and  poor-houses  it  is  writ 
ten.  In  the  sad-faced  widows  and  orphans, 
pinched  with  starvation  and  shame,  that  every 
where  meet  us,  it  is  written.  Above,  the  "low, 
silent  mounds,  where  sleep  the  victims  of  the 
rum  traffic,"  it  is  written.  Yea,  it  is  written  in 
the  book  of  God's  remembrance,  recorded  there 
by  an  eternal  hand. 

Harry  Wardsworth's  history  was  no  excep 
tion  to  the  course  in  all  such  cases.  A  history 


THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  25 

of  a  social  glass  with  a  friend;  of  appetite  thus 
formed,  of  habits  that  grew  stronger,  of  crav 
ings  indulged,  of  intellect  beclouded,  honor 
tarnished  and  manhood  shorn  of  its  strength. 

At  last  there  came  an  awakening;  and  the 
heart-rending  truth  forced  itself  upon  his 
friends,  and  ere  long  upon  himself,  that  Harry 
Wardsworth  was  a  drunkard.  Then  there  was 
a  repetition  af  the  old  history  of  promises  made, 
only  to  be  broken;  of  resolutions  formed,  with 
no  power  to  carry  them  out;  of  falls,  and  ris 
ings  up,  only  to  fall  again;  each  time  going 
lower  than  before;  of  nights  of  weary,  anxious 
watching  on  the  part  of  the  wife,  and  of  revelry 
and  dissipation,  followed  by  days  of  sorrowful 
regrets,  on  the  part  of  the  husband . 

It  was  indeed,  the  same  old  story.  Every 
fall  but  made  him  weaker,  and  his  manhood 
more  degraded,  until,  at  last,  he  seemed  to  give 
up  all  effort  to  recover  himself,  and  plunged 
madly  into  the  current,  whose  dark  waters  are 
bearing  seventy  thousand  annually  out  to  the 
deeper  darkness  beyond. 

This  is  the  reason  why  she,  who,  only  a  few 
short  years  ago,  was  a  joyous  happy  bride,  now, 
with  the  roses  gone  from  her  cheeks,  the  light 
of  hope  from  her  eye,  and  sorrow  filling  her 
heart,  is  sitting  there,  on  this  May  midnight, 
in  the  hopelessness  of  her  grief. 

But  what  of  the  erring  husband  all  this  time? 
•  Of  the  once  proud  and  gifted  Harry  Wards- 


26  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

worth?  He  had  gone  out  in  the  early  evening, 
promising  to  return  befor  nine.  And  he  had 
fully  intended  to  do  so.  But  who  that  is  caught 
in  the  toils  of  the  Demon  of  Rum  can 
say  where,  or  how  he  shall  direct  his  steps? 
Wards  worth  was  no  exception  to  the  rule.  The 
coils  of  the  serpent  were  around  him,  and  the 
victim  was  led  captive  at  his  will.  "Just  one 
glass,  Harry,"  said  his  false  friend,  as  he  met 
him  that  evening:  "Just  one  glass,"  answered 
the  craving  appetite  within,  and,  in  a  moment, 
all  his  promises  and  good  resolutions  were 
swept  away,  and  the  husband  whose  gentle 
wife,  waited  and  watched  for  his  coming,  held 
in  his  hand  the  cup  that  sparkles  but  to  kill. 

The  clock  had  struck  the  hour  of  two,  and 
Mrs.  Wardsworth  decided  to  retire.  Little 
Harry  had  already  been  put  in  his  crib,  the  last 
good-night  kiss  pressed  upon  his  cheek,  the 
nightly  prayer  had  gone  up  from  the  desolate 
wife,  when  the  sound  of  voices  and  confused 
footsteps  fell  upon  her  ear.  The  steps  drew 
nearer  and  paused  at  the  door,  which  was 
opened,  and  her  husband  stood  before  her  in  a 
state  of  beastly  intoxication. 

"Do  not  feel  alarmed,  madam,"  said  a  stran 
ger,  who  was  holding  him  by  the  arm;  "your 
husband  is  all  right.  He  has  been  spending 
the  evening  with  some  friends,  and  took  a  lit 
tle  too  much  wine.  He  will  be  all  straight  in 
the  morning."  To  this  explanation  or  apology. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  27 

the  wife  made  no  reply.  Too  well  she  knew 
where  he  had  been,  and  the  influences  by  which 
he  had  been  surrounded.  She  uttered  no  word 
of  complaint,  but  a  red  spot  burned  on  either 
cheek,  as,  taking  him  by  the  arm,  she  assisted 
his  unsteady  steps  to  the  sofa,  on  which  he 
threw  himself  heavily.  A  few  feeble  attempts 
were  made  at  apology,  but  they  were  almost 
unintelligible,  and,  in  a  few  moments,  he  was 
in  a  sleep  so  deep,  that,  only  for  the  dark  flush 
upon  his  face,  he  might  have  been  thought 
dead. 

The  devoted  wife  made  him  as  comfortable 
as  possible,  and  then  sat  down  to  meditate, 
and,  if  possible,  to  plan  some  mode  of  deliver 
ance.  What  wonder  if  memory,  with  a  home 
sick  longing,  went  back  to  the  joyous  days  of 
her  girlhood.  Back  to  the  dear  old  eastern 
home,  where  "free  from  sorrow's  dull  aching," 
she  had  nestled.  Back  over  the  early  years  of 
her  married  life,  when  all  was  bright  and  beau 
tiful,  and  110  thought  of  sorrow  had  yet  come. 
Alas!  how  sudden  and  how  sad  the  change. 

Slowly  passed  the  hours  of  night,  and  still 
the  husband  slept,  while  the  wife  waited  and 
watched,  and  pondered.  At  last  the  grey  dawn 
stole  up  from  the  far  east, — the  darkness  fled 
from  the  valleys  and  the  hills — the  birds  came 
forth,  with  their  morning  song,  from  their 
nightly  hiding  place,  and  the  sun  poured  its 
bright  beams,  into  the  abode  of  sorrow,  as  the 


28  THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE. 

wife,  weary  and  prostrate,  threw  herself  on  her 
couch,  for  a  short  respite  in  sleep. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

PLOTTING. 

The  Honorable  Hezekiah  Simkins  sat  lazily 
in  his  office  watching  the  wreaths  of  smoke 
that  floated  gracefully  up  from  his  cigar,  and 
sadly  dreaming  of  departed  glory.  To  tell  the 
whole  truth,  the  Hon.  Hezekiah  was  in  a  very 
unpleasant  frame  of  mind.  He  was  living  in 
the  past,  as  that  contained  whatever  of  respec 
table  influence  he  had  ever  enjoyed,  or  perhaps 
ever  would.  He  was  a  lawyer,  not  overstocked 
with  brains  or  learning;  but  what  nature,  and 
the  schools,  had  denied  him,  in  this  respect, 
had  been  more  than  compensated  by  an  extra 
ordinary  quantity  of  cheek.  He  was  also  blessed 
with  a  very  fluent  tongue,  was  subtle  and  cun 
ning,  in  his  way,  and  boasted  of  representing 
in  his  practice  more  money  than  any  other  law 
yer  in  the  city.  He  was  popular  with  all  the 
saloon-keepers,  could  take  his  glass  with  any  of 
them,  could  talk  politics  by  the  hour  to  the 
drunken  crowd  by  whom  he  was  generally  pur- 
rounded,  and  was,  in  all  respects,  a  first-class 
representative  of  what  is  known  as  a  street 
corner  politician. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  29 

Some  few  years  before  the  events  recorded  in 
the  last  chapter,  the  friends  of  law  and  order 
had  united  in  an  effort  to  secure  the  passage  of 
a  prohibitory  liquor  law  for  the  State.  This 
had  aroused  all  the  energies  of  the  liquor  deal 
ers,  and  forgetting  everything  else  in  their  de 
sire  to  save  their  craft,  they  resolved  to  unite 
in  one  solid  phalanx  for  the  purpose  of  defeat 
ing  the  temperance  measure. 

The  first  step  was  to  secure  a  candidate  for 
the  State  legislature  who  would  pledge  himself 
to  vote  against  the  measure,  in  whatever  form 
it  might  come  up,  "first,  last,  and  all  the  time." 
The  name  of  lawyer  Simkins  was  proposed  in 
convention  and  received  with  cheers.  In  fact, 
he  was  the  man.  He  was  fond  of  Jirs  glass. 
The  whisky  dealers  were  his  clients.  His  prin 
cipal  support  came  from  that  party  which,  it 
was  argued,  gave  them  a  great  power  over  him, 
and  he  was,  moreover,  ambitious  of  legislative 
honors.  A  committee  was  therefore  appointed 
to  wait  on  him;  the  pledge  was  readily  given, 
and  Hezekiah  Simkins,  attorney  at  law,  be 
came  the  candidate  of  the  whisky  party,  bound 
by  his  pledge  of  honor,  by  whatever  of  personal 
influence  he  possessed,  and  by  his  own  appetites 
and  tastes,  to  oppose  the  submitting  to  a  vote 
of  the  people  any  amendment  to  the  constitu 
tion  looking  to  the  prohibition  of  the  liquor 
traffic. 

Oh!  when   will   the   friends   of   temperance 


SO  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

learn  a  lesson  from  their  enemies?  When  will 
they  learn  that  to  succeed  in  this  great  conflict 
between  good  and  evil,  between  the  down-trod 
den  victims  of  the  liquor  traffic,  and  humanity's 
most  deadly  foe,  they,  too,  must  sink  every 
other  political  consideration!  That  members 
of  every  political  party,  of  every  religious  creed, 
must  unite  in  one  determined  effort  and  confin 
ing,  at  least  for  the  present,  the  fight  to  the 
individual  States,  resolve,  that  there  everything 
else  shall  bow  before  this  mighty  effort  for  the 
alleviation  of  our  people. 

The  fight  at  Cedarville  was  indeed  a  desper 
ate  one,  as  all  such  fights  usually  are.  On  the 
one  side  were  the  lovers  of  law  and  order. 
Christian  men,  sober,  solid  business  men,  the 
very  backbone  of  the  community.  Unfortu 
nately,  a  few  temperance  men  made  the  fatal 
mistake  that  is  always  made  in  those  contests. 
Their  sympathies  were  with  prohibition,  but 
they  did  not  wish  to  vote  against  their  political 
party.  The  result  was,  the  friends  of  temper 
ance  were  pitted  not  only  against  their  legiti 
mate  foes,  but  against  some  of  their  so-called 
friends  as  well.  They  were  thus  wounded  in 
the  house  of  their  friends,  besides  meeting  the 
whole  combined  influence  of  the  liquor  traffic; 
itself.  To  the  contestants  011  that  side,  money 
was  no  object,  if  only  they  could  accomplish 
their  purpose.  Every  art,  both  fair  and  foul, 
was  brought  into  requisition.  Whisky  flowed 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  31 

like  water,  and  money  was  lavished  with  an  un 
sparing  hand.  Nevertheless  the  prohibition  par 
ty  made  a  most  gallant  and  determined  fight;  and 
coiild  they  have  had  the  support  of  all  of  the 
temperance  men,  would  have  gained  the  victory. 
As  it  was  they  were  borne  down  by  numbers, 
and  Simkins  was  elected  by  a  small  majority. 

The  first  thing  the  victorious  party  did  was 
to  celebrate  their  victory.  The  saloons  were 
all  thrown  open  and  liquor  wTas  free.  They 
could  afford  it,  with  Simkins  elected.  Every 
man  was  invited  to  drink.  The  successful  can 
didate  was  cheered  whenever  he  appeared.  He 
drank  with  everybody  who  invited  him.  He 
made  speeches  whenever  called  upon  to  do  so. 
He  was  first  eloquent,  then  boisterous,  then  ob 
scene  and  maudlin,  till  at  last  even  his  system, 
trained  as  it  was  to  drinking,  was  no  longer 
able  to  withstand  the  pressure  and  Hezekiah  Sim- 
kins,  attorney  at  law,  member-elect  of  the  State 
legislature,  the  man  to  whom  was  entrusted  the 
enactment  of  laws  for  two  millions  of  people, 
was  carried  home  on  a  shutter  in  a  state  of 
beastly  intoxication. 

The  Hon.  Hezekiah  faithfully  carried  out  all 
his  pledges.  In  whatever  shape  the  temperance 
measure  was  presented  he  voted  against  it.  He 
also  kept  the  whisky  men  thoroughly  posted  on 
.all  the  doings  of  the  temperance  party,  so  far 
as  either  by  fair  means  or  foul  he  could  learn 
them,  and,  without  blushing,  could  boast  that 


32  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

he  was  doing  the  work  of  a  spy,  "free,  gratis, 
for  nothing."  He  gave  to  the  committee  of  lob 
byists  the  names  of  all  those  members  whom  he 
had  reason  to  believe  could  be  safely  approach 
ed  for  the  purchase  of  their  votes.  In  short,  he 
worked  in  the  house  and  out  of  the  house,  hon 
estly  and  dishonestly,  for  the  masters  to  whom 
he  had  sold  himself  body  and  soul,  mentally 
and  politically.  And  he  had  his  reward;  for 
when  the  final  vote  was  taken  on  the  question 
of  submitting  an  amendment  to  the  vote  of  the 
people,  and  it  was  defeated  by  a  small  majority, 
the  whisky  dealers  again  came  forward  with 
their  money  and  the  Hon.(?)  Hezekiah  and  his 
friends  again  celebrated  their  victory  by  getting 
gloriously  drunk. 

But  somehow  a  change  had  come  over  the 
spirit  of  his  dreams.  The  very  few,  who,  at 
first,  had  supported  him  from  principle,  soon 
became  disgusted  and  withdrew  from  the  par 
ty.  Others  who  remained,  but  who  yet  pos 
sessed  the  smallest  amount  of  respectability  and 
intelligence,  saw  that  with  Simkins  for  their 
candidate,  they  were  certain  of  an  inglorious 
defeat,  and  used  their  influence  to  secure,  at 
least,  a  more  respectable  candidate.  The  result 
was,  that,  at  the  end  of  the  first  term,  when  the 
convention  again  assembled  for  the  choice  of  a 
candidate,  Simkins  was  defeated  by  a  large 
majority,  and  consigned  to  the  cold  shades  of 
private  life. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  33 

Hezekiah  Simkins,  however,  was  not  a  man 
to  forget  an  injury,  nor  to  even  palliate  a  mis 
take.  He  had  carefully  noted  every  man  who 
had  voted  and  worked  against  him,  and  had 
vowed  revenge  against  everyone.  He  never 
dreamed  that  they  could  have  been  conscien 
tious  in  what  they  did.  He  never  fancied,  for 
a  moment,  that  any  other  man  could  more  in 
telligently  represent  the  voters  of  his  county 
than  himself.  They  had  all  acted,  in  his  esti 
mation,  from  personal  motives.  They  had  acted 
meanly,  and  meanness  they  should  have  to 
their  heart's  content. 

Among  those  who  had  supported  his  first 
nomination,  but  who  had  been  led  to  see  his 
danger,  and  for  his  own  sake,  and  for  the  sake 
of  those  dear  to  him,  earnestly  desired  the  pas 
sage  of  a  prohibitory  law,  and  had  therefore 
withdrawn  entirely  from  the  party,  was  Harry 
Wardsworth.  Against  him,  therefore,  in  com 
mon  with  some  others,  the  Hon.  Hezekiah  had 
sworn  special  vengeance,  and  he  only  waited  a 
favorable  opportunity  to  put  his  threat  into 
execution. 

We  have  said  that  this  particular  hour,  when 
we  introduce  him  to  our  readers,  he  was  in  a 
very  unpleasant  frame  of  mind.  He  had  been 
living  over  again  the  scenes  of  the  past.  He 
had  remembered,  oh  with  what  a  hungry  long 
ing,  all  the  gay  scenes  he  had  enjoyed  at  the 
capitol.  His  thoughts  fondly  dwelt  upon  the 


34  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

f  ree  drinks  and  free  lunches,  and  even  free 
dinners  with  which  he  had  regaled  himself.  He 
remembered  the  'fair  women  and  brave  men," 
whose  acquaintance  he  had  made,  and  whose 
society  he  had  enjoyed.  This  part  of  his  medi 
tation  was  pleasant  enough;  but,  unfortunately 
it  was  followed  immediately  by  the  very  un 
pleasant  reflection,  that,  so  far  as  he  was  con 
cerned,  these  pleasures  had  been  fleeting  as  the 
mists  of  the  morning.  Had  gone,  doubtless  to 
return  no  more.  Others  would  stand  up  and 
pom*  forth  their  oratory  within  those  halls. 
Would  mould  their  wisdom  into  laws,  and  place 
them  on  imperishable  records.  Would  stand 
amid  the  glare  of  gaslight  and  by  their  elo 
quence,  move  the  multitude  at  will;  would  eat 
all  the  free  dinners  and  drink  all  the  free 
drinks,  but  the  glory  of  Honorable  Hezekiah 
Simkins  had  forever  departed;  or.  in  other 
words,  his  palitical  influence  had  "gone  where 
the  woodbine  twineth." 

The  ex  legislator  had  just  reached  the  point 
in  his  meditation,  where  for,  perhaps,  the  five 
thousandth  time  he  had  resolved  to  wreak  his 
vengeance,  as  he  expressed  it,  "on  the  dastardly 
rascals  who  had  dared  to  go  back  on  him,"  when 
his  office  door  was  opened,  and  in  walked  his 
friend  and  client,  Solomon  S locum,  E-q. 

Reader,  we  wish  we  could  give  you  a  descrip 
tion  *  »f  this  gentleman,  but,  as  we  are  perfectly 
incapable  of  doing  the  subject  justice,  we  shall 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  35 

not  enter  into  it  farther  than  to  say — imagine  a 
very  large  squash,  with  a  very  small  head  on 
one  end  and  very  short  legs  on  the  other,  and 
you  have  a  tolerably  fair  representation  of  his 
form.  His  head  was  very  small,  and  his  body 
very  short;  but  then  it  was  large  enough  in  cir 
cumference  to  make  it  up.  His  face  was  full, 
and  round  and  red.  His  eyes  kept  a  constant 
furtive  movement,  turning  suddenly  from  on^ 
point  to  another,  as  though  they  wanted  to 
look  all  ways  at  once.  His  nose  turned  up,  as 
though  it  had  been  trying  to  get  as  far  as  pos 
sible  from  what  was  going  into  his  mouth. 
When  he  walked,  he  waddled  like  a  duck,  and 
when  he  sat  down,  he  threw  his  head  back, 
projected  his  stomach  forward,  and  puffed,  like 
a  horse  that  has  the  heaves  and  had  been  driv 
en  too  fast.  His  voice  was  wheezy  like  that  of 
a  pig  when  it  gets  too  fat;  or  like  the  sou-nd  of 
a  blacksmith's  bellows  when  it  gets  a  hole  in  it. 
Do  not  let  our  readers  understand  us  as 
wishing  to  prejudice  them  against  Solomon 
Slocum,  Esq.  We  have  only  endeavored  to 
give  them  an  idea  of  his  personal  appearance. 
We  admit  that,  so  far  as  that  was  concerned, 
the  combined  labors  of  nature  and  habit  had 
resulted  in  a  very  bad  failure.  But  Squire 
Slocum  was  a  gentleman.  He  sported  a  gold- 
headed  cane,  wore  a  broadcloth  suit,  patent 
leather  boots,  a  shirt  with  a  ruffled  front,  was 
said  to  be  one  of  the  richest  men  in  Cedarville, 


36  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

and  was,  moreover,  the  client  and  bosom  friend 
of  Honorable  Hezekiah  Simkins.  As  he  very 
frequently  reminded  the  ex-legislator,  "Old 
Slocum  had  never  gone  back  on  him."  Besides 
this,  he  boasted  that  he  had  risen  to  opulence 
by  his  own  exertions. 

Slocum's  first  money  was  the  result  of  his  in 
tense  patriotism.  At  the  commencement  of  the 
late  war  he  was  so  very  patriotic  that  he  suc 
ceeded  in  enlisting  several  times  and  drawing 
his  bounty  every  time.  This  had  given  him 
sufficient  capital  to  open  a  small  retail  saloon. 
By  the  judicious  use  of  rain  water  and  certain 
other  ingredients,  he  had  succeeded  in  getting 
and  saving  money  enough  to  build  a  small 
brewery.  This  he  had  enlarged  from  time  to 
time  until  it  did  a  large  business.  At  last  he 
reached,  as  he  said,  the  goal  of  his  ambition, 
and  was  able  to  build  a  large  distillery.  This 
made  a  market  for  grain,  and  he  would  have 
been  quite  popular  had  it  not  been  for  his 
avarice. 

A  year  or  two  before  he  is  introduced  to  our 
readers,  he  had  become  posessed  of  a  very  valu 
able  secret.  A  secret  so  valuable  that  he  re 
vealed  it  to  no  one,  but  his  sworn  and  trusty 
distiller,  and  they  two  Kept  it  confined  within 
the  darKened  cellar,  into  which  no  one  but 
themselves  were  allowed  to  enter.  It  was  no 
less,  than  the  art  of  maxing,  by  the  judicious 
combination  of  logwood,  aloes,  strychnine,  and 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         37 

other  harmless  drugs  of  that  nature,  with  the 
necessary  coloring  matters,  all  kinds  of  liquors,, 
from  the  rare  and  costly  wines  of  France  and 
Spain,  to  the  cheap  whisky  which  kills  its  vic 
tims  at  forty  rods. 

From  that  time  Slocum  considered  his  for 
tune  made.  True,  people  began  to  wonder  how 
it  was,  that  he  could  make  so  much  liquor,  and 
that  of  every  description,  out  of  so  little  grain, 
but  the  sworn  distiller,  and  the  dark  cellar 
faithfully  kept  their  secret,  and  none  knew  of 
the  wonderful  transformations  going  on  there. 

Another  thing  they  noticed  was,  that  Slo- 
cum's  liquor  had  a  strange  effect  upon  anyone 
who  drank  any  quantity  of  it.  It  not  only 
made  them  drunk,  but  it  made  them  demons. 
They  would  become  raving  maniacs;  while  sev 
eral  who  had  drank  to  excess,  had  died  with  all 
the  indications  of  poisoning.  However,  the 
coroner  was  a  member  of  the  whisky  party,  and 
did  not  feel  justified  in  putting  the  county  to 
the  expense  of  an  inquest  over  a  poor,  drunken 
pauper,  so  they  were  buried  without,  and  the 
grave,  like  the  dark  cellar,  faithfully  kept  its 
secret,  and  the  work  of  death  went  on. 

Having,  during  this  explanation,  given  Squire 
Slocum  time  to  rest  himself  and  throw  off  the 
superabundance  of  carbon,  with  which  his  body 
is  charged,  he  is  ready  for  business. 

"Are  you  alone,"  he  first  asked,  glancing 
cautiously  around  the  room. 


38  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

"Quite  alone,  Squire,"  replied  the  Hon.  Hez- 
ekiah;  "'what  is  up  now?  Anybody  been  cross 
ing  your  path?" 

"Well,  no,  — or,  at  least,  not  exactly;  but  I 
have  rather  an  important  business  that  I  want 
attended  to,  and  you  know  I  always  employ 
you,  and  you  have  never  yet  failed,"  he  added 
with  a  knowing  look,  which  was  easily  under 
stood  by  the  wily  lawyer. 

"At  your  service,  Squire." 

"You  know  that  drunken  lawyer,  Hank 
Wards  worth,  who  was  in  here  to  execute  some 
papers  a  while  ago?" 

"Know  him?  I  think  I  have  reason  to  know 
him." 

"Yes,  yes,  I  remember  now,  when  he  used  to 
keep  sober  he  was  considered  more  than 
your  match;"  and  the  Squire  gave  a  coarse 
laugh  which  ended  in  a  wheeze  and  a  cough. 

"I  don't  care  for  that  so  much,  but  confound 
the  rascal,  had  it  not  been  for  his  drunken 
twaddle,  I  would  have  received  the  nomination 
for  the  legislature.  I  have  sworn  to  get  even 
with  him  yet;  though  for  that  matter,  if  he 
keeps  on  as  he  is  going  now,  he  will  soon  spare 
me  that  trouble,  or  I  am  much  mistaken  in  the 
character  of  Solomon  Slocum's  whisky." 

Somehow  the  Squire  didn't  seem  to  relish  this 
remark  of  Simkins,  but  allowing  it  to  pass,  he 
continued: 

"That  is  just  what  I  came  to  see  you   about. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  39 

You  know  his  residence  up  on  Maple  stree." 

"Yes,  I  have  often  admired  that  place, 
wouldn't  mind  owning  it  myself.  Bought  it 
with  money  left  him  by  his  dead  father,  I  un 
derstand." 

"So  I  am  told.  How  much  do  you  think  the 
property  worth?" 

"Well  from  ten  to  twelve  thousand,  I  should 
judge." 

"I  think  so.  It  is  all  going  to  rack,  and 
ought  to  be  owned  by  someone  who  will  keep 
it  in  repair,  and  not  allow  it  to  be  a  disgrace  to 
the  avenue." 

"Oh!  I  understand.  You  think  itw^ouldmake 
a  very  nice  residence  for  the  family  of  Solomon 
Slocum,  Esq." 

"Well,  you  can  put  it  in  that  way.  You  re 
member  I  already  hold  a  mortgage  on  it  of 
three  thousand  dollars." 

"Yes,  I  know  I  drew  and  executed  a  mortgage 
for  that  amount;  but  for  the  life  of  me,  Slocum, 
I  can't  understand  how  he  ever  came  to  be  in 
debted  to  you  in  that  amount.  However,  you 
are  sure  enough  of  the  property;  he  will  never 
be  able  to  redeem  the  mortgage." 

"True  enough,  but  perhaps  some  other  man 
may  have  his  eye  upon  it,  and  admire  it  as 
much  as  I  do.  In  that  case,  if  I  were  to  sell  it 
under  this  mortgage,  I  might  have  to  pay  more 
for  it  than  I  care  to." 

"How  do  you  propose  to  manage  it  then?" 


40  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

"I  propose  to  increase  the  mortgage.  Or, 
what  is  the  same  thing,  get  another  one  on  the 
same  property.  Listen;  and  I  will  explain;" 
and  the  eyes  of  Slociim  turned  away  from  the 
steady  gaze  of  the  man  whom  he  knew  to  be  as 
big  a  rogue  as  himself.  "You  see  Wards  worth 
has  become  sadly  addicted  to  the  vice  of  gam 
bling.  In  fact,  the  greater  part  of  what  he 
owes  me  now  is  for  money  spent  at  the  gaming 
table.  The  whole  property  is  sure  to  go 
that  way,  and  I  may,  as  well  have  'it  as 
for  the  keeper  of  some  low  groggery  to  get  it." 

"I  understand  that  well  enough,"  replied  the 
lawyer,  '-but  how  do  you  propose  to  get  it? 
That  is  what  I  fail  to  comprehend." 

"That  is  just  what  I  am  coming  at,"  and  S lo 
cum  turned  his  gaze  still  further  from  that  of 
the  lawyer.  "You  know  Colonel  Bradshaw?" 

"Bradshaw  the  gambler?  Yes,  but  what  of 
him?" 

"Our  plan  is  simply  this:  Bradshaw  has  of 
fered,  for  five  hundred  dollars,  to  play  against 
Wardsworth.  We  will  get  Hank  about  half 
drunk,  and  in  that  condition  he  always  plays 
so  long  as  he  can  raise  a  dollar;  though  when  he 
is  sober  you  can't  get  him  to  touch  a  card.  My 
plan,  therefore,  is  to  meet,  we  three,  in  some 
quiet  place,  say  your  office.  Let  Bradshaw  and 
Wardsworth  begin  to  play.  Of  course  Hank 
will  lose.  I  will  agree  to  stand  security  for  all 
the  money  he  wants  to  bet,  taking  a  second 


THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  41 

mortgage  on  his  place.  We  can  let  it  run  as 
long  as  we  like,  I  becoming  responsible  to 
Bradshaw  for  whatever  he  wins.  When  the 
amount  has  reached  four  or  five  thousand  dol 
lars,  you  can  draw  the  mortgage  and  we  will 
get  Wardsworth  to  sign  it.  As  I  said,  if  the 
plan  is  successful,  Bradshaw's  fee  is  to  be  five 
hundred  dollars,  and  I  don't  mind  making 
yours  the  same." 

For  a  moment  the  ex-legislator  was  shocked. 
He  had  seen  roguery  in  every  form,  had  been 
familiar  with  many  of  the  scoundrels  and  black 
legs  in  the  country,  but  the  cool,  deliberate 
planning  of  so  terrible  a  crime,  so  hellish  a 
scheme  to  rob  an  unfortunate  victim  of  his 
home,  and  that  of  his  wife  and  child,  he  never 
yet  had  seen.  Hardened  as  he  was  himself, 
this  proposition  of  Slocum's  revealed  a  purpose 
so  deadly  that,  for  a  moment,  he  could  hardly 
believe  the  evidence  of  his  senses.  For  an  in 
stant  his  lost  manhood  seemed  determined  to 
reassert  itself,  and  move  him  to  kick  the  scoun 
drel  out  doors.  But  he  remembered  that  he 
too,  was  in  Slocum's  power;  besides,  the  fee  of 
five  hundred  dollars  was  very  tempting.  Only 
for  a  moment  was  his  better  nature  able  to  con 
tinue  the  struggle.  Avarice  and  fear  combined 
and  conquered;  and  turning  to  Slocum,  he  an 
swered: 

"All  right,  Slocum?  I  am  ready  to  do  my  part 
in   the  infamous   transaction,    but    when    the 


42  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

gentleman  from  the  lower  regions  comes,  looking 
for  the  most  infamous  scoundrel  on  earth,  I 
shall  direct  him  to  the  residence  of  Solomon 
Slocum,  Esq." 

Even  so,  men  think  to  wash  their  hands  of 
the  very  sin  they  commit. 

This  home  thrust  made  Slocum  wince.  He 
turned,  if  possible,  still  redder  in  the  face  than 
before;  but  gathering  boldness  from  success,  he 
retorted: 

"You  needn't  think  to  play  Pontius  Pilate  in 
that  manner,  Simpkins.  Perhaps  I  know  an 
other  gentleman  who  wont  come  far  behind  in 
that  race,  if  he  does  write  Hon.  before  his  name. 

But  don't  let  us  quarrel  over  the  matter.  You 
say  y°u  will  consent  to  my  proposal,  so  let 
us  arrange  particulars.  Let  me  see,  this  is 
Tuesday.  Suppose  you  see  Wardsworth,  and 
get  on  the  good  side  of  him,  and  make  an  ap 
pointment  to  meet  me  here  some  evening  next 
week.  You  can  adopt  your  own  plan  to  get 
him  here,  and  when  you  have  made  the  appoint 
ment,  let  me  know,  and  I  will  arrange  the  rest." 

And  with  a  sort  of  demoniac  smile,  Slocum 
took  his  cane  and  departed.* 

*Does  the  reader  regard  this  as  an  impossible  picture? 
We  assure  him  that  such  a  case  was  known  to  the  author, 
in  which  a  personal  friend  was  a  victim.  It  but  serves  to 
illustrate  the  terrible  power  for  evil  of  our  nation's  horri 
ble  curse — the  liquor  traffic;  the  right  hand  of  the  gambler 
— the  weapon  of  the  vicious  in  their  warfare  against  virtue. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  VICTIM. 

Morning  dawned  bright  and  beautiful  at  the 
home  of  the  Wardsworth's.  The  glad  sunshine 
streamed  down,  enveloping  the  earth  in  floods 
of  golden  light,  but  it  brought  no  sunshine  to 
the  weary  hearts  within.  The  birds  poured 
forth  their  sweetest  melodies,  but  they  awak 
ened  no  echoing  response  from  the  sad  inmates. 
In  the  chamber,  morn  looked  down  on  the  weary, 
care-worn  watcher,  worn  out  with  sorrow's  vigil, 
and  "sick  with  a  heart-breaking  sadness,"  and, 
in  the  parlor,  on  the  once  proud  and  happy 
husband,  still  fast  locked  in  the  slumbers  of  the 
inebriate.  The  deep,  dark  flush  that  rested  on 
his  face,  when  he  returned,  had  given  place  to 
a  more  natural  hue.  The  hair  had  fallen  back 
from  his  forehead,  revealing  a  brow  and  face, 
of  surpassing  beauty,  and  one  that  once  seen  is 
not  easily  forgotten.  In  spite  of  his  degredation, 
the  stamp  of  intellectual  greatness  and  nobility 
yet  remained.  As  we  stand  and  look  at  him 
lying  there,  with  all  that  greatness  a  mass  of 
ruins,  his  manhood  shorn  of  its  strength,  the 
fire  of  his  genius  quenched, — and  when  we  re- 


44  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

member  what  he  was,  and  all  he  gave  promise 
yet  to  become,  and  then  remember  that  he  is  but 
the  representative  of  a  vast  army  of  seventy 
thousand  such  victims,  which,  in  Christian 
America,  are  being  annually  crushed  beneath 
the  remorseless  hoofs  of  the  rum  traffic,  we  can 
not  refrain  from  uttering  the  direst  curses 
against  the  foul  monster.  Oh!  citizens  of  our 
glorious  Republic,  to  you  we  turn,  and  implore 
you  to  listen  to  the  agonizing  cries  that  come 
from  those  seventy  thousand.  You  who  hold 
in  your  hand  that  most  sacred  of  all  trusts,  the 
ballot  of  an  American  voter,  why  will  you  per 
mit  this  wholesale  slaughter  of  humanity's 
noblest  specimens?  Why  will  you  let  so  foul  a 
tyrant  rule  over  this  nation  of  free  men  and 
free  women?  Why  will  you  permit  so  foul  a 
pestilence  to  depopulate  our  shores  to  the  ex 
tent  of  seventy  thousand  a  year,  when  you  hold 
in  your  hands  the  power  to  prevent  it?  Why 
do  you  give  your  consent  and  approval  to  the 
desolation  of  seventy  thousand  homes?  Why 
will  you  not  interpose  to  prevent  the  breaking 
of  the  hearts  of  seventy  thousand  mothers,  wives 
and  children,  some  of  whom  may  yet  be  of  your 
own  flesh  and  blood.  Will  not  the  blood  of 
those  victims  be  required  at  your  hands?  Can 
yon  wash  your  hands  and  truthfully  say,  "I  am 
innocent,"  knowing  that  you  possess  the  power 
to  prevent  this,  and  yet  refuse  to  exercise  that 
power?  Citizens  of  America,  let  your  voice  be 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  45 

heard.  Go  to  the  suffering,  heart-broken  in 
mates  of  those  seventy  thousand  homes  and  tell 
them  to  hope.  Tell  them  that  their  cry  has  at 
last  reached  the  ear  of  the  Nation,  and  it  will 
come  to  their  deliverance.  Go!  Do  this!  and 
the  blessings  of  high  heaven  will  attend  you. 

Mrs.  Wardsworth  was  the  first  to  awaken  on 
that  morning  of  sorrow,  and  softly  rising,  so  as 
not  to  disturb  little  Harry,  she  descended  to 
the  parlor.  Her  husband  was  still  sleeping, 
and  entering  softly,  she  knelt  down  at  the  head 
of  the  sofa,  and,  as  she  looked  into  his  face  and 
caressed  the  dark  locks  into  which  there  had 
not  yet  entered  a  single  gray  hair,  remembering 
the  days  when  he  stood  up  in  the  nobility  of  a 
truer,  better  manhood,  a  great  flood  of  tender 
ness  and  love  swept  over  her  soul,  and  she 
could  not  resist  the  impulse  to  stoop  down  and 
imprint  upon  that  brow  an  impassioned  kiss. 
This  act  awakened  him.  Just  for  a  moment  a 
glad  smile  played  upon  his  countenance,  then 
the  memory  of  all  his  degradation  came  back 
upon  him,  and  he  could  no  longer  look  up  into 
the  pale  tearful  face  of  his  injured  wife,  but 
turning  his  face  to  the  wall,  he  wept  such  tears 
as  are  only  wrung  from  a  heart  filled  with  a 
hopeless  despair. 

Tenderly  the  loving  wife  stole  her  arm  under 
his  neck,  and  drawing  his  head  until  it  rested 
upon  her  bosom,  she  mingled  her  tears  with 
his.  And  angels  paused  in  their  heavenward 


46  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

flight,  and  looking  down  on  that  scene  of  love 
and  devotion,  caught  up  the  whisperings  of 
that  prayer  of  faith,  and  carrying  them  all  up, 
laid  them  down  before  the  throne  of  the  Eter 
nal,  and  they  were  placed  on  record  in  the  book 
of  God's  remembrance,  and  over  against  them 
was  written,  uThe  fervent,  effectual  prayers  of 
the  righteous  availeth  much." 

For  some  moments  they  remained  thus, 
neither  speaking,  till,  at  last,  the  silence  was 
broken  by  the  husband. 

"It  is  no  use,  Belle,  I  know  how  unworthy  I 
am  of  your  devotion.  What  a  sad  failure  I 
have  made  of  life,  but  all  my  good  resolutions 
are  like  ropes  of  sand  before  the  power  of  the 
tempter.  The  demon  of  drink  has  bound  me 
hand  and  foot,  and  there  is  nothing  left  but  for 
you  to  let  me  go.  I  am  only  dragging  you 
down  lower  and  lower.  Oh,  God!  if  I  alone 
could  suffer;  but  that  I  should  make  those  I 
love  the  victims  of  my  degradation.  Oh,  to 
stand  on  the  brink  of  an  awful  precipice  and 
know  that  I  am  doomed  to  go  over.  To  see  the 
deep,  dark  pit  before  me,  and  no  power  to  avoid 
it.  To  know  that  all  the  dearest  treasures  of 
my  life  are  destined  to  be  involved  in  the  gen 
eral  ruin,  and  yet  compelled  to  move  helplessly 
on  to  my  doom.  Oh!  I  wish  I  had  never  been 
born;"  and  the  strong  man  shook  with  the  very 
intensity  of  emotion. 

"Oh  my  dear  husband,  do  not  talk  so.     Have 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  47 

I  not  vowed  before  God  to  love  and  cherish  you 
till  death  do  us  part?  True,  my  heart  some 
times  almost  breaks  with  the  intensity  of  my 
grief;  but  it  is  for  you  and  little  Harry.  Not 
for  myself  do  I  grieve.  But  oh,  my  Harry,  the 
husband  of  my  joy,  will  you  not  try  once  more 
to  conquer  your  deadly  foe?  Oh,  let  my  love 
plead,  not  for  myself,  but  for  you,  the  dearest 
and  most  loved  of  all  the  treasures  God  ever 
gave  me.  By  the  memory  of  those  happy  days, 
all  too  quickly  fled,  for  the  sake  of  future  joys 
which  may  even  yet  be  ours,  promise  me  that 
you  will  make  one  more  effort." 

"Alas,  Belle!  it  seems  worse  than  useless  to 
promise.  Have  I  not  promised  time  and  again, 
only  to  deceive  your  hopes?  What  prospect  is 
there  for  a  man  like  me,  when  on  every  street 
corner  there  stands  a  saloon?  When  I  cannot 
walk  down  the  street  without  inhaling  the 
fumes  of  liquor,  which  arouses  all  the  powers 
of  this  morbid,  craving  appetite?  A  thousand 
temptations  are  around  me  on  every  side.  For  a 
poor  wretch  like  me  there  is  no  hope  but  to 
drift  with  the  current  until  I  reach  the  cataract 
and  then  plunge  beneath  the  dark  waters. 
But  for  your  sake,  Belle,  my  injured  wife,  and 
for  little  Harry's  I  will  promise;  I  will  make 
one  more  effort.  Perhaps  I  may  yet  recover 
myself;  and  oh,  my  dear  wife,  whatever  the  re 
sult  of  this  struggle  may  be,  do  believe  me,  I 
want  to  conquer,  I  want  to  be  free." 


48  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

The  breakfast  bell  here  rang,  and  going  to 
his  own  room,  Wards  worth  made  a  hasty  toilet 
and  descended  to  the  dining-room.  His  wife 
had  not  yet  entered,  and  he  waited  a  few  mo 
ments.  She  soon  came,  wearing  her  old  cheer 
ful  smile,  so  much  so  that  her  husband  won 
dered.  Ah!  had  he  but  followed  her  as  she 
went  into  the  council  chamber  of  her  God,  had 
he  heard  her  as  she  plead  the  Divine  promises, 
had  he  seen  the  look  of  holy  faith  and  trust,  as 
the  Spirit  came  down  and  sealed  the  witness 
upon  her  heart,  the  secret  of  her  cheerfulness 
would  have  been  explained. 

The  days  passed  on  and  lengthened  into 
weeks,  and  still  Harry  Wardsworth  kept  his 
promise.  He  attended  to  whatever  business  he 
had,  which  was  but  little,  it  is  true,  and  seemed  in 
part,  to  be  himself  once  more.  But  a  cloud  was 
over  him.  He  possessed  but  little  of  his  old 
cheerfulness  and  vitality.  He  seemed  to  per 
form  his  duties  in  a  sort  of  mechanical  way, 
but  it  was  evident  he  had  but  very  little  heart 
in  his  work.  Still  he  kept  sober,  and  this,  to 
his  wife,  was  a  source  of  untold  joy.  Oh!  how 
earnestly  she  labored,  how  faithfully  she  watch 
ed,  and  sought  by  every  means  in  her  power,  to* 
lift  the  shadow  from  his  heart.  She  walked 
with  him  to  the  gate,  met  him  there  on  his  re 
turn,  had  his  dressing  gown  and  slippers  ready 
for  him,  and  in  every  possible  way  strove  to 
make  his  home  so  attractive  that  he  would  have 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  49 

no  desire  to  leave  it.  She  sang  the  old  songs 
he  used  to  love,  watching  his  every  mood,  and 
adapting  everything  to  his  tastes  and  wishes. 
And  her  faith  grew  stronger  and  her  hopes 
brighter  as  she  witnessed  his  strong  determi 
nation  to  conquer  and  break  the  chain  that 
bound  him.  As  the  weeks  passed,  and  she  saw 
his  old  smile  come  back  to  him  again,  and  as 
his  walk  grew  quicker  and  more  vigorous,  she 
felt  that  the  blessing  for  which  she  had  so  long 
prayed  had  indeed  come. 

His  friends,  too,  began  to  rally  around  him. 
The  white  haired  old  pastor,  under  whose  min 
istry  he  had  long  sat,  knelt  in  his  family  circle 
and  prayed  with  a  fervency  that  was  born  of 
hope.  His  friend,  Dr.  Thornton,  congratulated 
him  on  his  improved  appearance.  Altogether, 
there  was  a  brighter  prospect  of  ultimate  tri 
umph  than  for  long  months  before. 

This  was  the  condition  of  things  when,  one 
day,  as  Wardsworth  was  walking  down  street, 
he  was  met  and  accosted  by  the  Hon.  Hezekiah 
Simkins. 

"Why,  how  are  you,  Wardsworth,"  exclaimed 
the  lawyer,  "I  am  truly  glad  to  see  you  looking 
so  well.  You  look  like  a  new  man.'1 

Wardsworth's  first  impulse  was  to  give  him  a 
short  answer  and  pass  on;  but  it  was  never  in 
his  nature  to  be  rude,  so  lie  paused  and  entered 
into  a  short  conversation. 

"By  the  way,  Wardsworth,"  said  Simkiiis,    "I 


50  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

have  been  looking  for  some  one  to  take  two  or 
three  cases  I  have,  as  I  have  to  be  gone  for  a 
week  or  two,  and  yon  are  just  the  man  I  want. 
I  shall  be  pleased  to  put  them  in  your  hands. 
They  are  important  cases,  and  I  don't  know  of 
any  one  I  would  as  soon  trust  them  with  as 
yourself.  What  do  you  say?" 

"I  shall  be  glad  to  take  them,  Simkins,  and 
shall  feel  grateful  to  you  as  well.  To  tell  the 
truth,  business  has  been  very  dull  with  me 
lately,  and  I  need  all  the  legitimate  work  I 
can  get" — with  a  slight  accent  on  the  word 
legitimate. 

.  "Let  me  see,"  said  Simkins,  "I  shall  be  from 
home  to-morrow  and  next  day.  If  you  will  call 
at  my  office  next  day  evening,  I  will  explain 
the  cases  to  you.  I  have  no  doubt  but  that 
you  will  be  successful  and  the  fee  will  be 
liberal." 

"I  know  of  nothing  to  prevent  me  from  com 
ing,"  replied  Wardsworth,  though,  truth  to  tell, 
he  felt  ill  at  ease  in  the  presence  of  the  wily 
lawyer.  Thus,  however,  the  appointment  was 
made,  and  the  two  men  separated;  the  one  to 
enter  the  purer  atmosphere  of  his  home,  and 
the  other  to  report  to  Slocum  the  success  of  his 
plan.  That  gentleman(?)  was  delighted  with 
the  prospect,  and  instantly  started  in  quest  of 
his  friend,  Colonel  Br-adshaw,  arranged  for  him 
to  drop  into  Simpkins'  office  about  9  P.  M.  the 
next  evening  but  one.  Thus  the  trap  was  laid. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  51 

and  the  trio  of  honorable  gentlemen  only 
awaited  the  presence  of  their  victim  to 
spring  it. 

"I  shall  not  be  at  home  this  evening  quite  as 
early  as  usual,  my  dear,"  remarked  Wardsworth 
to  his  wife,  the  next  evening  at  tea .  "I  have 
promised  to  call  at  Simkins'  office.  He  has  a 
few  important  cases  he  wishes  me  to  take,  as  he 
is  going  away  for  a  short  time." 

The  countenance  of  Mrs.  Wardsworth  fell.  A 
sad  foreboding  seized  her  heart.  She  remem 
bered,  all  too  vividly,  other  evenings  when  he 
had  gone  out,  expecting  to  return  shortly,  and 
the  coils  were  thrown  around  him,  and  she 
dared  not  think  of  what  the  result  might  be 
again.  Still  she  nerved  herself  and  resolved  to 
hope  for  the  best.  She  could  not  harbor  the 
thought  of  even  a  possibility  of  her  short  heav 
en  of  happiness  being  invaded  by  the  dark  form 
of  sorrow.  She  assisted  in  changing  dressing 
gown  for  coat,  she  walked  with  him  down  to 
the  front  gate,  and  there,  with  the  bright  moon 
beams  as  witnesses,  she  wound  her  arms  around 
his  neck  and  sent  him  away  with  a  wife's  pure 
kiss  upon  his  cheek,  even  though  there  were 
fear  and  trembling  in  her  heart. 

Wardsworth  was  surprised,  on  reaching  Sim- 
kin's  office,  to  find  there  no  less  a  personage 
than  Solomon  Slocum;  but  as  that  gentleman 
soon  rose  to  take  his  departure,  he  presumed  it 
was  merely  accidental.  Had  he  but  known  the 


52        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

dark,  secret  purposes  of  those  two  men!  but  he 
did  not. 

"Call  in  about  an  hour  Squire,"  said  Simkins, 
"and  I  will  be  through  with  Mr.  Wardsworth, 
and  will  finish  your  business." 

The  reader  is,  no  doubt,  by  this  time  fully 
aware  that  it  was  no  part  of  Simkins1  plan  to 
put  any  cases  into  the  hands  of  Wardsworth. 
On  the  contrary,  the  latter  was  there  in  accor 
dance  with  the  deep  laid  plot  for  his  ruin. 
Nor  will  he  be  surprised  when  he  learns  that 
the  very  first  thing  Simkins  did,  was  to  bring 
out  and  set  on  his  desk  a  bottle  of  what  he 
called  upure  old  French  wine,"  but  which  was 
nothing  more  than  some  of  Slocum's  poison. 

Of  all  the  arts  and  wiles  Simkins  made  use 
of  to  induce  Wardsworth  to  drink,  the  reader 
need  not  be  told.  Has  he,  too,  not  seen  them 
practiced?  Are  they  not  as  common  as  the  gin 
palaces  of  our  country?  Are  not  the  victims 
of  those  wiles  continually  reeling  along  our 
streets?  Are  they  not  crouching  and  hiding 
from  the  curses  and  blows  of  those  whom  those 
wiles  have  robbed  of  their  manhood  and  their 
reason?  Are  they  not  uttering  the  "low,  sad 
wail  of  anguish"  over  the  dishonored  graves  of 
husbands,  sons,  brothers  and  fathers?  Ah!  but 
too  sadly  familiar  are  our  readers  with  those 
experiences,  or  spectacles,  to  require  any  expla 
nation  of  them  from  our  pen.  Suffice  it  there 
fore,  to  say,  before  the  cunning  and  crafty 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  53 

wiles  of  the  deceitful  lawyer,  the  good  resolu 
tions  of  Wardsworth  proved  too  feeble.  Home 
with  all  its  endearments,  his  wife  with  her 
smiles  and  songs  and  loving  counsels,  his  babe 
with  its  prattle  and  childish  glee,  health,  wealth, 
honor,  all  the  mighty  barriers  raised  by  virtue, 
gave  way  before  the  fierce  onslaught  of  the 
tempter,  and  again  the  demon  had  his  coils 
around  his  victim.  He  at  last  yielded  under  a 
sacred  promise  of  Simkins,  that  he  should  be 
asked  to  take  but  one  glass.  But  one  glass 
taken,  the  appetite  was  aroused,  the  lion  was 
unchained,  and  from  that  moment  the  villain's 
task  was  easy.  The  result  was,  that  when  Slo- 
cum,  who  by  the  way  had  "accidently"  run 
across  Bradshaw,  during  his  absence,  returned, 
he  found  Wardsworth  in  the  very  condition  he 
desired.  Nothing  was  more  plausible  than  for 
Slocum  to  express  surprise  at  finding  Wards- 
worth  still  there;  but,  as  there  were  four  of 
them,  a  game  of  cards,  "merely  for  pleasure  you 
know,  would  be  just  the  thing."  The  result 
can  be  imagined. 

Does  the  reader  wonder,  does  he  express  sur 
prise,  that  all  this  could  be  accomplished  for 
the  ruin  of  Wardsworth?  Does  he  ask,  how 
could  he  be  so  unwise,  so  easily  overcome?  Why 
did  he  not  refuse  to  yield,  and  tearing  away 
from  those  who  compassed  his  ruin,  return  at 
once  to  the  safe  and  sacred  refuge  of  his  home? 
True,  reader,  this  would  have  been  the  wise  and 


54  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

safe  course.  But  do  you  ask  why  he  did  not  do 
it?  Then  you  know  nothing  of  the  power  of 
an  inebriate's  appetite.  Go  stand  on  the  shore 
of  the  ocean,  whose  billows  have  reached  the 
mountain  surge,  and  bid  them  cease  their  roll 
ing.  Go  stand  amid  the  deafening  roar  of  the 
mighty  Niagara,  and  bid  the  pouring  cataract 
turn  back  upon  itself.  Go  bid  defiance  to  the 
thunder,  and  command  the  lightning  to  cease 
its  flashing.  Turn  back  the  hurricane  and  the 
tempest.  Bid  the  avalanche  stand  still,  midway 
down  the  mountain  side.  Go,  and  when  you 
have  accomplished  all  these,  undertake  to  con 
trol  the  demon  appetite  for  strong  drink  when 
once  it  is  aroused  in  the  breast  of  its  victim. 

What  wonder  then,  with  all  this  odds  against 
him,  that  Wardswortli  f ell?  Fell  as  he  had 
fallen  before.  Lower  and  lower,  deeper  and 
deeper  in  the  pit  of  hopeless  ruin.  Alas  for 
Wardsworth!  Alas  for  his  wife  and  child! 
Alas  for  the  home  that  shelters  them!  Where 
is  the  angel  that  watches  over  him?  Justice, 
where  is  thy  sword?  Love  and  sympathy, 
whither  have  ye  fled?  Pity,  hast  thou  left  the 
human  breast?  Is  there  no  strong  arm  that  may 
be  outstretched  to  save? 

By  midnight,  Harry  Wardsworth  was  not  on 
ly  shorn  of  his  manhood,  but  bereft  of  his  reason 
and  robbed  of  his  home.  He  played  with  the 
recklessness  of  a  maniac.  Bradshaw  had  only 
to  name  the  amount  and  Wardsworth  immedi- 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  55 

ately  covered  it,  on  the  promise  of  Slocum  that 
he  would  see  it  paid.  At  one  o'clock  Bradshaw 
had  won  from  him  $3,500.  Then  was  the  time 
for  the  execution  of  the  most  diabolical  part  of 
their  plan.  At  this  point  Slocum  paused  and 
refused  to  stand  security  for  Wardsworth's 
losses.  He  held  that  it  was  a  debt  of  honor, 
and  Wardsworth  ought  to  secure  it.  But  if  he 
would  give  him  a  second  mortgage  on  his  place 
he  would  make  it  $4.000,  and  stand  good  for 
another  $500.  To  this  the  victim  consented. 
In  an  incredible  short  time,  so  short,  indeed,  as 
to  afford  almost  positive  evidence  that  he  had 
it  prepared  beforehand,  Simkins  produced  the 
mortgage.  Here,  however,  the  victim  wavered. 
Through  his  maddened  brain  there  seemed  to 
glimmer  a  thought  of  what  he  was  doing,  and 
he  hesitated.  Another  glass  of  Slccunrs  wine, 
and  then  the  hellish  deed  was  done.  As  best 
it  could,  the  trembling  hand  affixed  the  signa 
ture,  and  the  beautiful  house  of  Harry  Wards- 
worth  passed,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  into 
the  hands  of  Solomon  Slocum.  One  game  more, 
and  the  last  $500  for  which  Slocum  stood  se 
curity  was  lost,  and  Wardsworth  and  his  family 
were  paupers. 

Then  out  into  the  darkness.  Into  the  deep, 
silent  night,  where  the  stars  looked  down  with 
pitying  eyes.  To  his  home?  No,  not  there. 
Not  where  his  wife  sat  at  the  window,  watch 
ing  and  waiting  for  his  return.  Not  where  his 


56  THEOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

babe  nestled  in  his  crib  and  waited  so  long  for 
papa's  good  night  kiss.  Not  where  the  peace 
and  warmth  and  safety  of  home  love  had  been 
wont  to  throw  around  him  their  protecting 
shield.  Not  where  the  joyous  song  even  yet 
waited,  trejnbling  011  the  lips,  and  only  needed 
the  light  of  his  manhood's  presence,  to  break 
forth  in  tones  of  delight.  No,  not  there.  He 
had  gone  out  with  his  manhood  upon  him.  He 
had  left  his  home  in  the  strength  of  his  reason, 
and  with  a  wife's  pure  kiss  upon  his  cheek. 
Now  what  was  he?  A  being  to  be  despised 
and  shunned.  No,  he  could  not  go  home.  He 
could  not  meet  the  tender,  tearful  eyes  of  the 
wife  whom  he  still  loved,  but  whom  he  had  so 
deeply  wronged.  These  were  the  thoughts 
that,  in  a  confused  manner,  passed  through  his 
mind  as  he  wandered  on  in  the  darkness.  On 
through  the  deserted  streets,  where  no  light 
gleamed  upon  his  path.  Out  where  the  trees 
lifted  up  their  imploring  arms,  where  the  flow 
ers  bloomed  by  the  wayside,  and  the  apple 
blossoms  gave  forth  their  joyous  fragrance, 
as  if  they  fain  would  compensate  for  man's  cru 
elty.  On,  on,  until  his  weary  feet  refused  to 
do  his  bidding,  and  his  now  poisoned  body  sank 
from  sheer  exhaustion,  and  he  fell  by  the  way 
side,  unconscious  alike  of  his  degradation  and 
his  doom.  Still  the  stars  looked  down  in  sol 
emn  pity.  Night,  the  silent  witness  of  all 
his  wrongs,  gently  enwrapped  the  sleeping  form 


THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         57 

in  lier  sable  robes,  and  nature  wept  a  million 
drops  of  dew  at  the  sad  spectacle  of  "man's  in 
humanity  to  man." 

Slocum's  plan  had  succeeded  beyond  his 
most  sanguine  expectations.  It  Tras  just  as  he 
wanted  it.  Should  the  validity  of  the  mort 
gage  be  questioned,  were  there  not  three  re 
spectable  gentlemen  who  could  give  testimony 
that  all  was  fair  and  square?  What  mattered 
it,  though  he  had  committed  robbery  most  cool 
and  cowardly.  Though  perjury  the  foulest 
lay  deep  upon  his  soul?  Had  he  not  secured 
what  his  avarice  coveted,  the  home  of  Harry 
Wardsworth  ? 

Slowly  passed  the  hours  of  night,  and  still 
the  patient,  weary  wife  continued  her  vigil. 
As  the  night  advanced  and  her  husband  came 
not,  hope  gave  place  to  fear  and  anxiety.  But 
when  "the  clock  in  the  tower  struck  two,"  and  still 
no  signs  of  his  coming,  a  dull  weight  of  sorrow 
settled  upon  her  breast.  Reason  and  a  too  sad 
experience  alike  bore  testimony  that  there  could 
be  but  one  cause  for  his  absence.  The  buoyancy 
of  hope  gave  place  to  the  darkness  of  despair. 

Would,  dear  reader,  that  this  were  an  imagi 
nary,  or  even  a  solitary  picture;  but  it  is  not. 
Over  all  this  otherwise  free  and  happy  land, 
there  are  thousands  of  such  sad,  weary  vigils. 
A  mother  watches  for  her  boy,  whose  feet  have 
been  turned  in  the  way  of  darkness.  A  wife 
watches  for  the  husband,  who,  overcome  by  an 


58         THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

appetite,  formed  in  accordance  with  law,  lies 
helpless  in  the  grasp  of  his  enemy.  Alas  for 
the  weary,  helpless  watchers,  when  the  power 
of  that  law,  which  should  be  the  refuge  of  the 
weak  and  defenseless,  is  in  league  with  the  hosts 
of  rum. 

Slowly  and  sadly  passed  the  hours  of  night. 
The  grey  dawn,  harbinger  of  the  coming  day, 
stole  up  from  the  far  east.  The  bright  beams 
of  the  morning  streamed  down  on  valley  and 
hill.  The  flowers  opened  their  petals  to  wel 
come  the  glad  sunshine,  the  birds  came  forth 
from  their  quiet  resting  place,  where  nature's 
hand  had  built  their  shelter,  and  awoke  the 
earth  with  their  morning  song.  The  bells  rang 
out  the  morning  call,  and  the  mechanic  went 
forth  to  his  toil.  The  city  awoke  to  new  life, 
and  again  was  heard  the  busy  hum  of  industry, 
but  Harry  Wardsworth  came  not.  His  wife, 
filled  with  apprehension  and  alarm,  called  to 
her  aid  a  few  chosen  friends,  who  undertook  to 
search  for  him. 

Simkins  was  seen,  who  stated  that  he  left  his 
office  about  ten  in  the  evening,  and  that  so  far 
as  he  could  judge  he  was  sober.  At  last  a  man 
was  seen  who  said  he  had  found  a  person  bear 
ing  his  description  by  the  roadside,  and  had 
brought  him  to  the  city,  leaving  him  at  a  cer 
tain  corner;  and  that  he  appeared  to  be  either 
sick  or  intoxicated.  Then  began  the  search  in 
earnest.  Down  into  the  basement  saloons, 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  59 

where  men  hide  away  from  the  gaze  of  the  mul 
titude,  that  they  may  do  evil.  Searching  over 
the  records  of  the  police  station,  in  the  gin  pal 
aces  of  the  "respectable"  where  the  liquid 
poison  and  death  is  held  in  bottles  radiant 
with  bands  of  silver  and  gold.  All  day  the 
search  continued.  To  each  inquiry,  every  sa 
loon-keeper  answered  they  had  not  seen  him. 

"Is  it  Harry  Wardsworth  you  are  looking  for?" 
asked  a  poor,  half  drunken  man,  as  two  of  his 
friend*  passed  out  of  one  of  the  saloons. 

"Yes.     Can  you  tell  us  anything  about  him?" 

"I  reckon  I  can,  only  you  must  not  go  back 
on  me  if  I  tell  you." 

"You  need  not  fear,"  said  Dr.  Thornton,  "no 
harm  shall  come  to  you  in  the  least,  so  long  as 
you  are  not  implicated  in  any  way." 

"Well,  then  look  about  Walt  Pitman's  saloon 
and  you  will  find  him." 

"But  we  have  just  been  there,  and  Mr.  Pitman 
says  he  is  not  there  and  has  not  been  there." 

"Did  you  look  for  yourselves?  Not  in  the 
bar  room,  I  mean,  but  out  around?" 

"No,  we  did  not.  But  he  can't  be  stowed 
away  there,  can  he?" 

"I  reckon  that  is  just  what  they  does  with 
1em,  sir,  that  is  the  respectable  ones.  They 
don't  let  'em  stay  in  the  saloon  when  they  get 
so  awful  drunk;  they  stows  'em  away.  Least 
wise,  you  go  to  Pitman's  and  look  around  and 
you'll  find  him;"  and  with  a  motion  of  the  hand 


60  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

toward  Pitman's  saloon,  lie  was  gone. 

"Possibly  he  may  be  right,  after  all,"-  said 
Dr.  Thornton;  "let  us  go  back  to  Pitman's  and 
look  around.  There  is  no  trusting  the  word  of 
those  fellows." 

So  back  to  Pitman's  they  went,  and  began  a 
thorough  search  of  the  premises,  so  far  as  they 
were  able,  without  subjecting  themselves  to  a 
charge  of  trespass.  At  last  they  found  him. 
But  where,  reader,  do  you  think  he  was  found? 
In  an  old  out-house,  among  boxes  and  barrels, 
lying  on  a  bundle  of  hay  in  a  state  of  perfect 
unconsciousness.* 

And  Walter  Pitman,  it  was  said,  kept  the 
most  respectable  saloon  in  the  city;  and  perhaps 
he  did.  His  place  was  the  resort  of  all  the 
better  class  of  drinkers.  His  place  of  business, 
licensed  by  law,  you  know,  was  one  of  the  most 
nicely  fitted  and  furnished  in  the  city.  Mir 
rors  hung  on  the  walls,  costly  decanters  con 
tained  the  sparkling  wines,  and,  in  short,  the 
place  was  so  respectable  that  the  proprietor, 
rather  than  suffer  the  disgrace  of  having 
Wardsworth  found  on  his  premises  drunk,  after 
robbing  him  of  his  money  and  his  reason,  pre- 
fered  to  stow  him  away  in  an  out-house  and 
then  lie  about  his  being  there.  Moreover,  Pit 
man  knew  Wardsworth  as  well  as  he  knew  his 


*A    true    incident,   in   which   the  author  assisted  in  the 
search. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  61 

brother.  He  knew  his  friends  were  anxiously 
searching  for  him.  He  knew  that  he  had  re 
ceived  favors  from  Harry  Wardsworth  without 
number,  yet  with  all  this,  Pitman  was  too  re 
spectable  to  do  him  a  kindness,  and  send  him 
home.  Has  not  the  reader  seen  the  same  scene 
enacted  time  and  again?  Its  counterpart  may 
be  found  in  almost  every  town  and  city  in  the 
land.  Such  is  the  cruelty  of  rum. 

We  say  that  Harry  Wardsworth  was  found, 
but  oh  how  changed!  What  a  terrible  wreck 
the  twenty-four  hours  had  made.  Could  that 
ghastly,  besotted  looking  being  be  the  noble 
looking  husband  and  father,  who  went  out  but 
yesterday,  with  the  glad  laugh  of  his  child 
still  ringing  in  his  ears,  and  a  wife's  pure  kiss 
still  warm  upon  his  cheek? 

They  carried  him  to  his  home.  Alas!  his  no 
longer;  and  there,  through  the  long  hours  of 
the  night,  kind  friends  watched  him  in  his  long 
bitter  struggle  with  imaginary  demons,  and 
tried  to  comfort  his  grief -stricken  wife. 

The  struggle  continued  even  down  to  the 
very  doors  of  death;  but  at  last  nature  triumph 
ed,  and  slowly  rallying,  he  drifted  back  again 
to  life.  But  his  hopes  seemed  crushed  and  his 
powers  of  resistance  gone.  A  few  feeble  efforts 
were  made,  but  they  accomplished  nothing.  He 
seemed  to  have  passed  the  turning  point,  be 
yond  which  scarcely  dawns  a  ray  of  hope.  To 
be  tempted  was  to  yield,  and  soon  it  became  a 


62  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

common  saying,   "Poor  Wardsworth   is  drunk 
again."     The  wife's  cup  of  misery  seemed  full. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE     COMFORTER. 

The  family  of  Rev.  Chas.  Bradley  had  risen 
from  breakfast,  and  the  pastor  had  retired  to 
his  study  to  finish  his  Sunday  morning's  ser 
mon,  when  the  servant  returned  from  the  post- 
office  and  handed  Mrs.  Bradley  a  letter  ad 
dressed  to  herself.  It  was  postmarked  "Cedar- 
ville,"  and  the  address  was  in  the  hand-writing 
of  her  sister,  Belle.  Something  in  the  address 
seemed  strange,  and  filled  her  with  apprehen 
sion  and  fear.  A  strange  foreboding  seized 
her,  and  it  was  some  moments  before  she  could 
open  the  letter.  The  writing  was  evidently 
her  sister's  but  it  had  the  appearance  of  having 
been  the  work  of  a  trembling  hand.  JShe  broke 
the  seal,  and  after  reading  the  letter  twice 
over,  sat  some  moments  in  thoughtful  medita 
tion.  Mr.  Bradley  had  reached  one  of  the  most 
interesting  portions  of  his  discourse,  when  the 
study  door  opened  and  his  wife  entered. 

"Can  you  spare  me  from  home  for  a  few 
weeks,  husband,"  she  asked. 

Looking  at  her  a  moment,  in  some  surprise, 
he  answered  pleasantly: 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.          63 

"I  presume  I  can,  my  dear,  if  you  wish. 
Where  do  you  want  to  go?" 

For  answer,  his  wife  placed  in  his  hand,  her 
sister's  letter.  He  took  it  and  read  as  follows: 
CEDARVILLE,  June  — ,  18 — . 

Dear  Sister  Kate: — You  remember  when  on 
that  bright  May  morning,  now  five  years  ago,  I 
stood  up,  and  in  the  glad  joyousness  of  my 
girlhood,  took  upon  me  the  solemn  vows  of  wife. 
And  you  remember  when  you,  my  dearest  friend, 
while  rejoicing  with  me  in  my  happiness,  bade 
me  remember  that  life  was  not  all  sunshine,  I 
even  laughed  at  the  thought,  that  to  me  could 
ever  come  sorrow. 

You  know  not,  dear  sister,  how  sadly  I  have 
learned  the  bitter  lesson.  Hitherto  I  have 
tried  to  write  cheerfully,  for  I  have  hoped  for 
the  best;  but  now  all  hope  seems  gone  and  my 
heart  is  brea.viii^  with  the  fullness  of  its  grief. 

You  remember  on  the  morning  of  my  mar 
riage,  you  referred  to  Harry's  habit  of  drinking 
wine;  and  said  that  was  the  only  dark  cloud 
you  could  discern  on  the  horizon  of  my  life.  I 
could  not  then  believe  there  could  be  the 
slightest  danger;  but,  oh!  how  bitterly  I  have 
been  compelled  to  mourn  my  mistake.  Slowly, 
but  surely,  the  serpent  has  wound  his  deadly 
coils  around  my  dear  husband  until,  all  help 
less  he  lies  in  the  grasp  of  his  foe.  Oh!  dear 
sister,  what  shall  I  do?  My  pen  refuses  to 
write  the  sad  words  expressive  of  my  sufferings. 


64  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

Is  it  too  much  to  ask  of  you,  clear  sister,  to 
come  to  me.  for  a  short  time^  I  need  you,  oh, 
so  much!  Do  not,  when  you  write  home,  tell 
the  dear  ones  there  the  story  of  my  trials.  It 
would  almost  kill  them.  I  am  glad  they  are 
all  far  enough  away  not  to  hear  it.  May  God 
bless  them,  and  make  their  life  flow  smoothly 
on,  whatever  becomes  of  me. 

Write  me,  and  if  you  can  come,  please  do  so 
without  delay.  Your  loving  sister, 

BELLE  WARDSWORTH. 

Mr.  Bradley  read  the  letter  over  carefully, 
and  after  a  few  moments  thought,  said: 

"It  does  seem  like  a  call  of  duty.  I  think 
you  had  better  go  and  carry  all  the  comfort 
you  can.  Poor  girl,  if  that  is  the  state  of  affairs 
she  is  indeed  in  want  of  all  the  sympathy  it  is 
possible  to  impart.  When  can  you  be  ready  to 
start?" 

"This  is  Thursday,"  answered  his  wife,  "not 
before  Monday,  I  think.  I  have  some  work  I 
must  do  for  the  children  first.  I  can  finish 
that  this  week,  and  be  ready  to  start  Monday." 

"Very  well.  You  had  better  get  ready  to  go 
on  that  day — dropping  her  a  note  to  that  effect 
by  to-day's  mail.  And  one  word  more,  Kate, 
I  fear  you  will  find  matters  worse  than  we  ex 
pect.  Should  they  have  reached  a  crisis,  don't 
fail  to  give  Belle  the  warmest  assurance  of  a 
place  in  our  home  and  our  hearts.  Poor  girl, 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  65 

to  think  that  one  so  pure  and  so  loving  should 
know  the  sad  pangs  of  a  drunkard's  wife." 

"Thank  you,  my  dear  husband,  it  is  what  I 
might  have  expected  from  one  so  noble;"  and 
the  proud  wife  imprinted  a  fervent  kiss  upon 
his  cheek. 

The  balance  of  the  week  all  was  hurry  and 
bustle  at  the  parsonage.  Mrs.  Bradley  had 
much  to  do  before  she  could  leave  her  own  lit 
tle  family  comfortable,  and  yet  she  often  found 
herself  pausing  in  the  midst  of  her  work,  to 
picture  the  sad,  lone  sister  in  the  far  away 
western  home.  Time  dragged  heavily,  although 
her  hands  were  so  busy;  and  for  the  first  time 
in  all  her  married  years,  she  was  glad  when  the 
hour  arrived  that  was  to  see  her  borne  away 
from  the  home  of  her  household  treasures. 

As  already  intimated,  Mrs.  Bradley  was  the 
senior  of  her  sister  Belle,  by  two  years.  Three 
years  before  the  opening  of  our  story,  she  had 
married  the  Rev.  Chas.  Bradley,  the  beloved 
pastor  of  a  large  and  prosperous  congregation 
in  a  city  but  a  few  miles  from  the  home  of  her 
parents  in  the  State  of  New  York.  Hitherto, 
Mrs.  Wardsworth  had  taken  the  greatest  care 
to  conceal  her  trouble,  not  once  referring  to  it 
in  her  letters,  but  writing  with  as  hopeful  a 
spirit  as  possible.  But  the  loving  sister  had 
become  satisfied  that  it  was  not  all  sunshine 
with  her.  A  tone  of  pensive  sadness  ran 
through  all  her  letters  and  once  she  detected 


66  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

what  she  believed  to  be  a  tear  stain.  She  was 
not,  therefore,  unprepared  to  hear  of  the  sad 
state  of  affairs  which  Belle's  letter  revealed. 

Wednesday  evening  brought  her  to  her  des 
tination.  Mrs.  Wardsworth  had  not  yet,  from 
some  cause;,  received  the  note  advising  her  of 
her  coming,  and  was  therefore  not  fully  pre 
pared  to  receive  her.  She  had  just  tucked 
little  Harry  away  in  his  crib,  and  had  sat  down 
to  her  wTork,  when  a  carriage  halted  at  the  gate 
and  a  lady  alighted.  Instantly  she  knew  it 
was  her  sister  Kate.  Had  she  had  time  to  get 
control  of  her  feelings,  she  would  have  been 
more  composed;  but  as  it  was,  she  had  only 
strength  to  totter  to  the  door,  when  she  fell 
into  the  arms  of  her  sister.  All  the  long  pent- 
up  feelings  of  the  soul  burst  instantly  forth, 
and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty  that  Mrs. 
Bradley  could  get  her  into  the  room  and  keep 
h*»r  from  fainting.  She  sat  her  down  upon  the 
sofa,  and  took  her  head  upon  her  breast,  just 
as  she  used  to  in  those  old  days,  when  together 
they  nestled  in  the  dear  old  home.  The  poor, 
•aching  heart  had  at  length  found  a  refuge.  No 
words  were  yet  spoken,  but  the  elder  sister  was 
glad  to  see  that  the  younger  had  found  relief 
in  tears.  For  herself,  she  could  only  press  the 
dear  form  closer  to  her  breast  and  let  her  weep. 
Presently  she  became  calmer,  and  raising  her 
tear-stained  face,  she  imprinted  one  long  im 
passioned  kiss,  that  revealed  at  once  her  soul's 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  67 

deep  love  and  all  the  long  story  of  her  heart's 
bitter  sorrow. 

"I  am  so  glad  to  see  you,  sister,  but  I  wish  I 
had  known  you  were  coming  so  soon." 

"Did  you  not  get  my  letter  informing  you  of 
my  visit?  I  received  yours  on  Thursday  and 
wrote  immediately  that  I  would  start  on  Mon 
day.  I  would  have  telegraphed,  but  I  supposed 
you  would  surely  get  the  letter." 

"Never  mind,  it  is  all  right  now,"  and  again 
she  wound  her  arms  around  the  sister's  neck 
and  laid  her  head  on  her  bosom,  just  as  a  child 
who  feels  that  there  alone  it  is  safe. 

As  she  thus  lay,  with  her  sad  face  upturned 
to  her  sister's,  for  a  moment  Mrs.  Bradley  could 
not  suppress  the  bitter  thoughts  that  came  un 
bidden  to  her  heart.  Oh!  what  a  sad  wreck 
these  five  years  had  made  of  that  once  light- 
hearted  and  happy  girl.  Could  that  pale-faced 
woman,  with  those  shrunken  cheeks  and  those 
hollow  eyes,  be  the  glad,  merry-hearted  sister 
Belle  of  only  five  years  ago?  Could  this  be  the 
same  being  who  proudly  stood  up  and  took  up 
on  her,  her  wifely  vows,  and  then  went  so  joy 
ously  out  from  the  shelter  of  the  home  roof? 
Alas!  it  is  not  Time's  destroying  hand  that  has 
early  robbed  this  flower  of  its  bloom.  It  is  not 
the  wasting  touch  of  disease  that  has  robbed 
the  eye  of  its  lustre  and  the  cheek  of  its  rose. 
"An  enemy  hath  done  this!  "A  foe  more  deadly 
cruel  than  disease  and  death  hath  stolen  into 


68         THBOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

this  dear  treasure  house  and  left  his  desolating 
track;  and  as  she  thought  of  all  that  innocent 
being  had  suffered,  as  she  recognized  that  all 
this  was  but  a  system  of  legalized  murder,  the 
more  cruel  because  it  killed  so  slowly,  she  felt 
like  invoking  Heaven's  direst  vengeance  on  the 
liquor  traffic  and  all  concerned  therein.  But 
better  thoughts  ere  long  prevailed.  A  feeling 
of  yearning  tenderness  came  over  her,  and  her 
heart  went  out  in  pitying  prayer,  not  only  for 
the  helpless  suffering  wife,  but  for  the  wander 
ing,  erring  husband  as  well. 

Very  carefully  and  tenderly,  little  by  little, 
the  wise  and  thoughtful  Mrs.  Bradley  drew  out 
the  story  of  her  sister's  wrongs,  and  learned 
that  her  husband's  worst  fears  were  more  than 
realized.  Everything  was  gone.  Even  some 
of  their  best  furniture  had  been  sold  to  supply 
them  with  the  necessaries  of  life.  "The  sad 
dest  part  of  it  all  is,"  said  Mrs.  Wardsworth, 
after  they  had  talked  a  long  while,  "we  have 
to  leave  this  once  beautiful  home.  Though,  as 
to  that,  it  has  become  to  me  more  like  a  prison 
than  a  home." 

"Why,  how  is  that?"  asked  Mrs.  Bradley, 
"has  Harry  become  so  deeply  involved?" 

At  this  question  the  wife  buried  her  face  in 
her  hands  and  again  gave  way  to  a  fit  of  weep 
ing.  When  she  again  controlled  herself  and 
looked  up,  there  was  a  blush  011  her  cheeks 
that  told  but  too  plainly  how  deeply  she  felt 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         69 

her   husband's    degradation    which    she    was 
forced  to  reveal. 

"I  cannot  tell  how  it  is,  but  I  awfully  fear, 
that  to  the  vice  of  drinking,  Harry  has  added 
that  of  gambling.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Slo- 
cum,  living  in  the  city,  and  who  owns  a  large 
distillery,  says  he  holds  a  mortgage  on  it  for 
seven  thousand,  dollars.  The  neighbors  say  it 
is  worth  ten  thousand,  but  it  is  so  fast  going 
to  decay  that  it  wont  be  worth  the  mortgage 
much  longer.  I  cannot  understand  how  ever 
Harry  got  in  debt  to  him  so  much.  I  have 
spoken  to  him  of  it  once  or  twice,  but  I  see  it 
affects  him  so  badly  that  I  have  ceased  to  men 
tion  it.  Of  one  thing  I  am  certain,  Harry 
never  had  that  much  money  from  him,  or  I 
would  have  had  some  of  it.  I  fully  believe  my 
husband  has  been  robbed,  but  we  are  helpless 
and  can  do  nothing  but  submit," 

"What  does  this  man  Slocum  propose  to  do? 
Does  he  want  to  take  the  place  himself?" 

"Yes.  He  was  here  a  few  days  ago,  and  said 
that  the  place  was  so  fast  going  to  the  bad  that 
it  would  not  be  security  for  the  amount  much 
longer.  That  he  hated  to  foreclose  the  mort 
gage,  for  if  he  did,  the  balance  would  be  all 
eaten  up  with  costs;  but  if  I  and  Mr.  Wards- 
worth  would  consent  to  give  up  the  place  with 
out  the  necessity  of  foreclosure,  he  would  give 
us  five  hundred  dollars.  Harry  was  not  at 
home,  and  I  have  not  yet  spoken  to  him  about 


70        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

it.  I  suppose,  however,  it  is  the  best  we  can 
do." 

"Where  is  Harry,  now?"  presently  asked  Mrs. 
Bradley. 

At  this  question  a  look  of  terrible  suffering 
came  into  the  face  of  Mrs.  Wardsworth,  but  she 
controlled  herself  and  replied: 

"I  have  not  seen  him  since  yesterday  morn 
ing.  He  has  got  so  now  that  he  don't  come 
home  when  he  is  drinking  so  very  hard,  but 
stays  at  the  saloon  until  his  money  is  all 
gone." 

"Well,  Belle,  I  have  a  message  from  my 
husband,  and  I  will  deliver  it  now.  It  is  that 
if  at  any  time  you  may  feel  it  necessary  to  sever 
the  connection  with  your  husband,  our  home 
and  our  hearts  are  open  to  receive  you," — and 
Mrs.  Bradley  again  folded  the  sorrowful  woman 
to  her  breast. 

Mrs.  Wardsworth  drew  herself  up  and  some 
thing  like  the  old  pride  came  back,  and  a  bright 
spot  burned  on  her  cheeks  as  she  answered: 

"It  was  not  for  that  you  came  was  it  Kate  ? 
For  if  it  was,  I  may  as  well  say  to  you  now,  once 
for  all,  that  when  I  wedded  Harry  Wardsworth, 
I  wedded  him  for  life,  and  never  till  death  doth 
us  part  will  I  forsake  him.  Besides,  my  hopes 
are  not  all  dead  yet," — and  a  sad,  sweet  smile 
stole  over  her  face.  "You  remember,  Kate,  the 
refuge  of  which  we  learned  in  our  dear  old 
home.  I  have  never  yet  forgotten  the  pathway 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         71 

to   a    throne   of  grace,  and   when  all  else  has 
failed,  that  has  supported  me  still." 

"Heaven  bless  you  for  those  noble  words, 
dear  Belle.  And  now  in  answer  to  your  ques 
tion.  No,  it  was  not  for  that  I  came.  I  am 
thankful,  dear  sister,  that  your  love  and  faith 
have  survived  this  trying  ordeal.  God  grant 
that  they  may  yet  be  victorious.  But  if  worst 
comes  to  worst,  know  where  you  may  find  a 
safe  shelter  and  as  much  of  joy  as  may  be. 
But  now  it  is  long  past  midnight,  and  you  have 
not  yet  shown  me  this  wonderful  little  Harry 
about  which  you  have  so  often  written  me."  At 
the  mention  of  his  name  the  mother's  eye 
brightened  and  something  like  a  glad  smile 
played  on  her  face  as  she  led  the  way  to  an  ad 
joining  room,  and  holding  the  lamp  in  one 
hand,  stooped  down  and  pressed  a  warm  kiss 
upon  the  soft  cheek,  an  example  that  was  fol 
lowed  by  the  elder  sister.  The  intrusion 
disturbed  the  slumbering  boy,  and  turning 
uneasily  in  his  crib,  murmured  the  name— 
"papa."  "Somehow,  Kate,"  remarked  Belle,  "I 
cannot  help  but  believe  that  in  some  way  God 
will  use  our  boy  as  a  means  of  reclaiming  my 
husband.  He  loves  me  just  as  dearly  as  he 
ever  did,  but  he  fairly  worships  little  Harry. 
Oh  if  he  had  only  power  to  crush  his  foe,  but  I 
confess  that  sometimes  my  hope  grows  weak. 
And  yet  I  find  that  in  spite  of  all,  my  faith 
still  clings  more  and  more  to  the  belief  that  the 


72  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

boy  will  yet  be  the  saviour  of  the  man." 

"God  grant  that  it  may  be  so,  and  in  his  own 
good  time  and  manner,1'  replied  her  sister,  "and 
now  let  us  have  prayer  and  retire." 

Together  they  knelt,  side  by  side,  just  as 
they  had  done  in  those  long  gone  happy  days 
of  girlhood,  and  poured  their  supplications  into 
the  ear  of  their  loving  Father.  Oh  how  strongly 
and  fervently  did  the  wife  plead  for  her  erring 
husband.  Like  the  patriarch  of  old,  she  clung 
to  the  arm  of  God,  and  refused  to  let  him  go 
until  she  obtained  the  blessing.  And  her 
prayer  fell  upon  the  ear  of  him  who  never  yet 
hath  said,  "Seek  ye  my  face  in  vain."  The  mes 
senger  of  peace  came  down,  and  sealed  the 
spirit/s  witness  upon  her  heart;  the  recording 
angel  wrote  her  supplication  in  Heaven's  regis 
ter,  and  over  against  her  prayer  was  written 
the  Divine  assurance,  "They  shall  call  upon  me 
in  the  day  of  trouble  and  I  will  deliver  them." 


CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  SHADOWS  DEEPEN. 

When  Harry  Wardsworth  first  began  to  ab 
sent  himself  from  home,  during  his  seasons  of 
dissipation,  his  wife  would  use  every  effort  to 
find  him  and  induce  him  to  return.  For  a  time 
she  was  in  this  successful,  but  for  a  while  back 
failing  in  her  efforts,  she  had  given  up  the 
practice,  finding  that  it  only  served  to  irritate 
him,  besides  subjecting  herself  to  a  great  deal 
of  shame  and  suffering.  On  the  morning  fol 
lowing  her  sister's  arrival,  however,  finding  he 
had  not  returned,  a  strange  foreboding  seized 
her.  There  came  to  her  a  presentiment  of 
impending  danger,  which  she  found  it  impossi 
ble  to  throw  off.  She  strove  to  cast  it  aside, 
but  all  in  vain.  She  had  made  the  fire — for  a 
long  time  she  had  done  all  the  work  about  the 
house — and  had  set  about  preparing  breakfast, 
when  the  door  bell  rang,  and  a*  stranger  handed 
her  a  note,  saying  it  was  from  her  husband, 
and  immediately  departed.  For  a  moment  she 
was  so  overcome  that  she  found  it  impossible 
to  break  the  seal.  Collecting  herself,  she 
opened  the  note,  and  read  as  follows.  She 


74  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

recognized  her  husband's  writing,  although   it 
was  almost  unintelligible.     It  said: 

"My  Injured  Wife: — The  end  has  at  last  come, 
and  I  am  in  prison.  Last  night,  in  a  fit  of  in 
toxication  I  struck  a  man  and  so  injured  him 
that  it  is  feared  he  will  die.  Before  God,  my 
dear  wife,  I  have  not  flie  slightest  knowledge 
of  what  transpired.  Perhaps  it  is  better  so,  on 
ly  for  you  and  little  Harry.  May  God  pity  you 
and  forgive  me.'1 

On  reading  the  note,  Mrs.  Wards  worth  im- 
mediatly  called  her  sister,  and  then  hastened 
her  preparations  for  breakfast,  intending  as 
soon  as  it  was  over,  to  go  in  search  of  her  hus 
band.  She  had  nearly  finished  preparing  the 
meal,  when  a  neighbor  called — one  of  those 
sympathizing  kind,  who  think  the  deeper  they 
can  probe  the  wound  in  a  human  heart,  the 
greater  kindness  they  do  them — and  handed 
her  a  morning  paper,  saying,  "Here,  Mrs.  Wards- 
worth,  is  something  about  your  husband,  I 
thought  it  would  be  a  kindness  to  let  you 
know,"  and  then  took  her  departure. 

Mrs.  Bradley  w_as  ready  to  descend,  when  she 
heard  a  violent  scream.  Instantly  rushing 
down  stairs,  she  found  her  sister  lying  on  the 
floor  in  a  deathly  swoon.  She  was  a  woman  of 
rare,  cool  judgment,  and  knowing  it  was  only 
a  faint,  she  placed  her  on  the  sofa,  loosened  her 
clothing,  and  then  ran  for  a  bottle  of  ammonia 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         75 

she  had  in  her  valise .  Presently  her  sister 
partially  recovered,  and  looking  wildly  around, 
she  cried:  "Oh,  Kate!  was  it  some  horrible 
dream?  No,  there  is  the  paper,"  and  turning 
her  face  to  the  wall,  she  gave  way  to  an  uncon 
trollable  fit  of  weeping. 

On  picking  up  the  paper  the  elder  sister  in 
stantly  defined  the  cause  of  her  terrible  grief. 
Headed  in  large  display  type,  she  found  the 
following  announcement: 

"Fearful  Tragedy!  A  Cold- Blooded  Murder! 
Another  Victim  of  the  Rum  Traffic! 7" 

"About  two  o'clock  this  morning,  a  drunken 
row  occured  in  Sweeney's  saloon,  corner  of 
Fifth  and  Cedar  streets,  resulting  in  the  mur 
der  of  a  young  man  named  Frank  Steele.  It 
appears  that  Steele  and  Harry  Wardsworth, 
who,  a  few  years  ago,  was  a  promising  lawyer 
in  Cedar ville,  but  at  present  is  noted  only  as  a 
drunkard  and  a  gambler,  had  been  drinking  to 
gether,  when  they  got  into  a  quarrel  as  to  who 
should  pay  for  the  drinks.  Wardsworth  called 
Steele  a  mean  scoundrel;  whereupon  the  fight 
commenced.  During  the  struggle,  Wardsworth 
dealt  his  antagonist  a  powerful  blow  which 
felled  him  to  the  earth,  striking  on  the  curb 
stone,  from  the  effects  of  which  he  died  at  five 
o'clock  this  morning.  Wardsworth  is  in  jail, 
awaiting  the  result  of  the  coroner's  inquest. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  he  will  be  committed  to 
await  the  action  of  the  grand  jury." 


76         THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

On  reading  the  above,  Mrs.  Bradley  could 
only  exclaim,  in  the  fullness  of  her  heart,  "My 
poor,  dear  sister,  I  fear  this  blow  will  kill  her. 
Thank  God,  that  I  am  here  to  afford  her,  at 
least,  some  little  comfort." 

After  a  while  the  stricken  wife  grew  calmer, 
and  turning  to  her  sister,  said:  "Kate,  I  want 
you  to  look  after  little  Harry.  I  am  going  to 
the  cell  to  see  my  husband."  Mrs.  Bradley 
questioned  the  wisdom  of  such  a  course,  but 
finding  her  determined,  consented  on  condition 
that  she  should  lie  perfectly  quiet  until  break 
fast  was  prepared  and  then  should  take  a  cup 
of  tea  and  some  toast.  This  done,  the  devoted 
wife  set  out  on  her  journey  to  that  dark  abode 
of  sin  and  suffering  which  contained  the  dear 
est  of  all  her  earthly  treasures. 

On  giving  her  name  she  was  readily  admit 
ted,  and  following  her  guide  she  passed  along 
the  dark  corridors,  through  the  darkness  and 
vileness,  past  low,  coarse  vulgarities,  and  foul- 
mouthed  obscenity,  where  were  incarcerated 
alike  and  together,  the  low,  hardened  criminal, 
and  the  victim  for  the  first  time  fallen  beneath 
the  power  of  the  tempter,  only  to  learn  more 
evil,  and  to  go  out  a  still  greater  adept  at  crime. 
Clinging  closer  to  the  arm  of  her  guide,  she 
passed  on  until,  at  last,  she  stood  at  the  door 
of  her  husband's  cell.  The  policeman  unlocked 
the  door,  and  merely  saying,  "Here  is  a  lady 
wishes  to  see  you,"  permitted  her  to  enter.  A 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  77 

look  of  mortal  agony  passed  over  the  husband's 
face  as  he  recognized  his  wife,  and,  for  a  mo 
ment,  she  questioned  if  she  were  not  mistaken. 
His  face  was  so  pale  and  haggard  that  it  seem 
ed  impossible  that  the  man  before  her  was  her 
husband.  But  when  in  accents  of  indescribable 
anguish  he  asked,  uOh  Belle,  my  wife,  why  did 
you  come  to  this  terrible  place?"  her  doubts 
were  all  removed,  and  for  answer  she  fell 
weeping  on  her  husband's  breast.  Only  for  a 
moment  did  she  give  way,  then  with  a  strong 
effiort  at  self  control  she  replied:  "Why  did  I 
come  here,  first  because  I  felt  it  my  duty  to 
come,  and  second  because  I  could  not  help  it, 
Harry,  you  are  my  husband,  and  I  have  sworn 
to  stand  by  you,  for  better  or  worse,  till  death 
parts  us,  and  God  giving  me  strength  I  shall  do 
it."  As  she  said  this,  a  look  of  unutterable 
sympathy  came  into  her  face,  and  parting  the 
still  jet  black  locks,  she  imprinted  a  pure  kiss 
on  his  once  manly  brow. 

Long  they  talked,  he  telling  her  all  he  knew 
about  the  sad  affair.  In  her  heart  she  knew  her 
husband  was  no  murderer,  nor  yet  a  gambler. 
He  was  the  victim  of  a  traffic  sanctioned  and 
upheld  by  law.  A  foul,  moral  crime ;  and  though 
the  sad  consequences  might  be  visited  on  his 
head,  it  would  be  but  another  victim  added 
to  the  many  who  were  being  continually  sacri 
ficed  on  the  unhallowed  altar  of  the  rum  traffic. 

Strange  to  say,  from  her  sad  visit,  and  even 


8  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

from  the  overwhelming  calamity  itself,  she 
seemed  to  gain  strength.  She  still  clung  to  the 
belief  in  the  power  of  God,  and  faith  clung  to 
Him  as  her  refuge  and  hope.  Perhaps,  she 
thought,  even  this  last  crowning  sorrow  may  be 
made  the  means  of  salvation.  Thus  strength 
ened,  she  turned  away  from  the  abode  of  misery, 
leaving  behind  her  a  pure  and  holy  radiance, 
as  if  some  angel  from  the  far  away  glory  had 
passed  by. 

As  was  predicted,  the  coroner's  inquest  made 
short  work  of  the  case,  and  the  jury  had  no  hes 
itation  in  sending  out  their  verdict  that  "Frank 
Steele  came  to  his  death  at  the  hands  of  Harry 
Wardsworth,  and  recommending  that  the  said 
Harry  Wardsworth  be  held  without  bail  to  await 
the  action  of  the  grand  jury."  That  body,  of 
whom  Slocum  chanced  to  be  foreman,  after,  as 
that  worthy  gentleman  expressed  it,  "going 
very  carefully  over  all  the  facts  in  the  case,1' 
rendered  a  true  bill  and  Wardsworth  was  com 
mitted,  to  take  his  trial  at  the  next  term  of 
court. 

Wardsworth  was  so  far  subdued  that  he 
looked  upon  all  the  legal  proceedings  with 
indifference,  never  once  making  any  effort  to 
take  any  advantage  on  points  of  law.  He 
seemed,  in  fact,  like  one  in  a  dream.  To  all 
who  questioned  him  on  the  subject,  he  made 
but  one  reply.  "I  have  not  the  slightest  knowl 
edge  of  the  transaction.  I  know  that  I  had  no 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  79 

enmity  in  my  heart  toward  Steele — that  I 
wished  him  no  wrong,  and  I  am  not,  therefore, 
morally,  a  murderer,  whatever  the  law  may 
make  of  me.  I  cla'm  no  palliation,  but  am 
ready  to  let  the  law  take  its  course.  Only  for 
my  wife  and  child,  the  sooner  it  is  over  and  I 
am  out  of  the  way,  the  better.  Though,  God 
help  me,  I  fear  I  am  a  curse  instead  of  a 
blessing  to  them." 

Still  there  were  many  friends  who  had  known 
him  in  his  prosperity,  and  who  resolved  not  to 
turn  against  him  even  though  he  was  deep 
down  in  the  valley  of  adversity.  Prominent 
among  these  \vas  Dr.  Thornton,  of  whom  men 
tion  has  been  previously  made,  and  Thos. 
Sherwood;  the  latter,  a  wholesale  merchant, 
and  a  man  of  extensive  wealth.  He  was,  more 
over,  a  noble  specimen  of  the  Christian  gentle 
man.  His  vrife,  too,  clung  to  him  all  the  more 
closely,  frequently  visiting  him  in  his  cell,  and 
always  meeting  him  with  a  cheerful  smile^  even 
though  her  own  heart  was  breaking. 

There  Avas  yet  nearly  three  months  before  the 
court  would  sit,  and  his  friends  hoped  for  good 
to  result  from  waiting.  It  would  give  him  an 
opportunity  for  reflection.  Possibly  by  that 
time,  he  might  get  control  of  his  appetite  and 
gain  strength  to  overcome  his  foe.  Of  his  final 
acquittal  they  had  no  doubt.  Thus  the  days 
went  by,  sadly  and  slowly,  each  one  bringing 
its  own  burden  of  sorrow. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  CUP  FULL. 

Solomon  Slocum,  Esquire,  had  finished  his 
somewhat  late  dinner,  had  smoked  his  cigar, 
and  was  ready  to  make  his  usual  afternoon 
visit  to  his  distillery  and  dark  cellar,  when  the 
door  bell  rang  and  a  lady  was  announced. 
Being  admitted  into  the  library,  the  Squire 
returned  her  salutation  somewhat  awkwardly, 
and  requesting  her  to  be  seated,  prepared  him 
self  to  listen  to  what  she  had  to  say. 

"I  understand,  Mr.  Slocum,  you  hold  a  mort 
gage  on  the  residence  now  occupied  by  the 
family  of  Harry  Wardsworth."  At  the  mention 
of  Wardsworth's  name,  Slocum  started,  and  a 
look  of  uneasiness  became  very  apparent.  Re 
covering  himself,  however,  he  put  on  a  bold 
front  and  replied:  "Yes,  I  have  a  mortgage  on 
it,  and  have  been  repeatedly  advised  to  fore 
close,  but  out  of  sympathy  for  the  family  I 
have  let  it  run.  I  would  have  very  much 
preferred  to  have  Mr.  Wardsworth  redeem  it, 
and  save  it  to  his  family,  and  have  told  him  so, 
but,  perhaps  as  you  are  aware,  the  poor  fellow 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  81 

lias  fallen  into  very  unfortunate  habits,  and  I 
fear  will  never  be  any  better." 

"  I  think  I  know  something  of  his  habits, 
Mr.  Slocum,  and  also  the  unfortunate  influences 
by  which  he  has  been  surrounded;"  and  she 
fixed  her  gaze  steadily  upon  him;  ubut  it  is 
about  the  mortgage,  not  about  his  habits,  that 
I  came  to  talk  with  you." 

"Yes,  yes,  madam!  Well,  as  I  was  saying, 
my  sympathy  for  the  family  has  kept  me  from 
foreclosing,  but  I  think  I  shall  do  so  now." 

"I  am  the  sister  of  Mrs.  Wards  worth,  and  I 
came  at  her  request  to  inquire  how  her  husband 
came  to  give  you  the  mortgage  and  on  my  own 
behalf,  to  get  all  the  information  concerning  it 
possible." 

For  a  moment  Slocum  winced.  This  was 
touching  a  subject  that  he  did  not  wish  venti 
lated.  So,  after  clearing  his  throat  once  or 
twice,  he  replied: 

"I  am  hardly  prepared  to  give  you  the  full 
information  now;  I  can  only  say,  in  a  general 
way,  that  the  most  of  it  was  for  cash  advanced, 
though  a  small  part  was  for  book  account. 
Did  you  wish  to  take  up  the  mortgaged" 

Mrs.  Bradley — for  it  was  no  other  than  she 
—saw  at  once  that  it  was  useless  to  question 
him,  though  satisfied  that  the  whole  business 
was  a  fraud.  Doubtless,  however,  he  had  been 
sharp  enough  to  make  himself  secure  in  his 
villainy,  and  as  she  did  not  wish  to  parley 


82  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

where  no  good  could  possibly  result,  merely 
replied: 

"It  was  not  for  that  purpose  I  called;  but  to 
confer  with  you  about  surrendering  the  place 
to  you.  My  sister  informs  me  that  you  pro 
posed  to  her,  to  pay  them  five  hundred  dollars, 
and  take  the  property.  Is  that  correct?" 

"That  is  correct,  madam.  I  did  make  such 
an  offer." 

"I  am  glad  to  learn  that  much,  Mr.  Slocum," 
replied  Mrs.  Bradley,  with  a  slightly  tremulous 
voice.  "As  you  know  my  sister  is  in  deep 
trouble,  and  five  hundred  dollars  would  be  of 
almost  untold  value  to  her  now.  We  proposed 
to  get  one  or  two  friends  to  go  with  you,  if  you 
will  be  kind  enough,  to  the  prison,  and  pay  the 
money  to  Mrs.  Wardsworth,  and  her  husband, 
I  am  sure,  will  sign  any  papers  that  may  be 
necessary?  I  am  here  on  a  visit  from  New 
York  State,  and  desirous  of  helping  her  to 
move  and  get  settled  in  some  comfortable  little 
cottage  before  I  return."  This  also  had  the 
effect  of  making  Slocum  feel  uncomfortable. 
He  had  scarcely  expected  the  matter  would 
come  up  in  this  shape,  though  it  would  have  to 
come  out  and  he  might  as  well  meet  it  now  as 
any  time.  With  another  throat  clearing  he 
answered : 

"Really,  my  dear  madam,  I  am  surprised  at 
your  request.  I  wonder  that  Mr.  Wardsworth 
did  not  inform  his  wife  before  of  the  state  of 


THEOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.          S3- 

the  matter.  The  truth  is,  the  five  hundred 
dollars  has  already  been  paid  to  him,  and  I 
hold  his  receipt  for  the  money,  and  also  an 
agreement  signed  and  witnessed,  to  vacate  the 
premises  whenever  I  shall  give  him  ten  days 
notice." 

Mrs.  Bradley  was  almost  overcome  with  dis 
appointment  and  chagrin;  but  rallying  herself 
in  a  moment  she  answered: 

"My  sister  was  not  aware  of  that  fact,  Mr, 
Slocum,  or  I  would  not  have  troubled  you. 
While  I  am  here,  however,  will  you  please  let 
me  look  at  the  receipt  and  agreement?" 

"I  am  very  sorry  to  disappoint  you  in  that, 
Mrs.  Bradley,  but  they,  with  the  rest  of  my 
papers,  are  in  the  hands  of  my  attorney,  Hon. 
Hezekiah  Simkins. 

Mrs.  Bradley  saw  that  nothing  could  be 
gained  by  extending  the  interview,  so  apolo 
gizing  for  the  trouble  she  had  given  him,  she 
withdrew. 

But  the  disappointment  was  terrible  to  bear. 
How  could  she  go  back  and  convey  the  sad 
intelligence  to  that  already  heart-broken  woman, 
that  the  last  dollar  of  their  beautiful  home 
had  been  swallowed  in  the  awful  ruin?  That 
she  and  her  boy  were  helpless  beggars  and 
her  husband  in  a  criminal's  cell?  She  could 
not  do  it. 

Oh!  rum  traffic,  thou  cruel  monster,  thou 
destroyer  of  innocence,  thou  weapon  of  the 


84         THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

tyrant  and  the  right  hand  of  him  who  would 
trample  to  the  earth  the  helpless  and  defense 
less.  Thou  slayer  of  the  lowly,  and  the  scourge 
in  high  places,  as  there  is  a  God  who  rules  on 
high,  thy  doom  is  written,  and  the  day  of  thy 
destruction  comes. 

Such  were  the  thoughts  of  Mrs.  Bradley  as 
she  wended  her  desolate  way  back  to  her  more 
desolate  sister.  No,  she  could  never  bear  to 
that  dear,  suffering  one,  the  last  drop  that 
would  fill  her  cup  of  bitterness.  This  she 
would  do.  She  had  one  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  of  her  own  with  her.  This  amount  she 
would  give,  as  though  it  had  been  given  by 
Slocum,  and  explain  that  the  balance  had 
already  been  paid  to  her  husband.  Even  this 
appeared  like  mocking  at  her  suffering,  but  it 
was  the  best  she  could  do.  Her  husband,  she 
well  knew,  would  approve  the  act,  and  she 
would  have  time  to  write  home  for  sufficient  for 
Tier  expenses  before  she  would  need  it  for 
returning. 

Leaving  Mrs.  Bradley,  to  carry  out  her  noble 
resolution  and  explain  matters  in  her  own  way, 
we  ask  the  reader  to  accompany  us  to  another 
scene.  Almost  at  the  very  hour  in  which  Mrs. 
Bradley  was  making  her  visit  to  Slocum,  the 
following  conversation  was  going  on  in  the 
counting-room  of  Mr.  Sherwood: 

"I  say,  Sam,"  remarked  one  clerk  to  another, 
"Did  you  hear  that  old  Slocum  had  got  his 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.          85 

fingers  on  that  beautiful  property  of  Harry 
Wards  worth?" 

"No.  Is  it  true,  though?  How  did  you  hear 
it?" 

"Only  a  few  nights  ago  I  was  at  the  Opera. 
Jim  Slocum  and  young  Brooks,  both  of  them 
somewhat  the  worse  for  liquor,  sat  right  behind 
me.  I  was  not  an  eavesdropper,  but  they 
talked  so  loud  I  could  not  help  but  hear  what 
they  said." 

"What  did  Slocum  say  of  it?" 

"Oh!  he  was  boasting  of  his  old  man's  smart 
ness,  as  he  called  it.  He  said  he  was  too  smart 
for  Wardsworth,  that  he  had  got  him  in  a 
tight  place  and  had  got  a  mortgage  on  his  resi 
dence,  and  Wardsworth  had  agreed  to  surrender 
the  property  for  five  hundred  dollars.  'But 
you  bet,'  added  Jim,  'the  old  man  is  smart 
enough  to  cheat  him  out  of  that.  If  he  can't 
beat  him  out  of  the  five  hundred,  and  get  it 
that  way,  he  is  going  to  foreclose,  and  turn 
them  out  into  the  street.  You  bet  the  old  man 
knows  what  is  what.  The  mortgage  is  only 
seven  thousand,  and  didn't  cost  the  old  man 
that,  and  the  property  is  worth  ten,  at  least. 
Oh,  let  old  Slocum,  as  they  call  him,  alone. 
He  is  smart  enough  for  any  of  them.' " 

Mr.  Sherwood  overheard  the  conversation 
and  he  was  indeed  startled.  This  was  the  first 
intimation  he  had  that  Wards  worth's  property 
was  so  seriously  involved.  If  this  were  true, 


86  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

what  would  become  of  the  wife  and  boy? 
Somehow,  as  a  Christian  man,  he  felt  a  respon 
sibility  he  could  not  throw  off.  Why  should 
poor  Wardsworth  and  his  family  be  left  entirely 
at  the  mercy  of  the  avaricious  Slocum?  Suppose 
they  were  driven  into  the  street,  would  his 
conscience  be  clear,  remembering  that  he  was 
Wardsworth's  friend?  These  thoughts  passed 
rapidly  through  his  mind,  and  quickly  his  res 
olution  was  taken.  True,  he  had  but  little  to 
hope  for  from  Slocum,  in  whom  avarice  was 
the  ruling  passion;  but  he  could  at  least  try. 

It  was  true,  as  young  Slocum  said,  the 
property  was  worth  ten  thousand  dollars,  for 
the  family.  It  was  at  least  worth  the  effort. 
Even  if  nothing  else  could  be  done,  he  would 
place  the  amount  of  the  mortgage  in  the  hands 
of  an  attorney  and  let  him  act  for  Wardsworth 
in  taking  up  the  mortgage.  On  the  latter' s 
honor  he  felt  he  could  rely  to  secure  him  till 
such  time  as  they  could  sell  the  property. 

And  so  it  was  that  scarcely  had  Mrs.  Bradley 
retired  from  her  interview  with  Slocum,  than 
the  bell  again  rang,  and  Thomas  Sherwood  was 
ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  burly  distiller. 

"I  say,  Slocum,"  remarked  Sherwood,  "I  called 
over  to  make  some  inquiries  relative  to  Wards- 
worth's  residence.  I  am  told  you  have  a  mort 
gage  on  it." 

"Yes,  I  have  a  mortgage  on  it." 

"What  is  the  amount  of  the  mortgage?" 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  87 

"Seven  thousand  dollars  when  given.  The 
interest  makes  it  more  than  that  now." 

"What  interest  does  it  draw?" 

To  use  a  homely  phrase,  Slocum  began  to 
smell  a  rat.  He  in  no  way  liked  these  close 
questions.  Evidently  Sherwood's  visit  boded 
him  no  good,  and  the  less  he  allowed  himself  to 
be  pumped,  the  better.  So  pausing  a  moment, 
as  if  in  thought,  he  answered: 

"I  can't  say  what  the  interept  is  now.  The 
papers  are  in  the  hands  of  my  attorney, 
Simkins." 

"Strange,"  said  Sherwood,  "that  you  don't 
remember  how  much  interest  the  mortgage 
bears.  What  will  you  take  for  the  mortgage, 
cash?" 

"Do  you  want  the  property  for  yourself,  Mr. 
Sherwood? 

"No,  I  do  not.  I  want  to  save  a  home  for  poor 
Wardsworth's  family.  Come  now,  Slocum,  let 
it  be  known  that  you  have  done  a  noble  act. 
You  shall  have  all  the  cash  for  it.  I  will  give 
you  the  face  of  the  mortgage,  cash.  What  do 
you  say?" 

"I  consider  the  property  worth  ten  thousand 
dollars,  Mr.  Sherwood.  Don't  you  think  so 
yourself?" 

"I  presume  it  is.  That  is  the  reason  I  wish  to 
save  it  for  them.  That  will  give  them  some 
three  thousand  dollars  clear,  or  enough  to  pur 
chase  them  a  comfortable  little  home." 


8»  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

"You  seem  to  take  a  great  deal  of  interest  in 
Wardsworth's  wife,  Mr.  Sherwood;  more  than  he 
does  himself,  I  reckon,"  and  the  man  gave  a  low 
brutal  laugh.  "If  you  want  to  buy  the  property 
for  her,  you  can  have  it  for  ten  thousand." 

At  any  other  time  and  place  Sherwood 
would  have  resented  the  gross  insult,  and  have 
dealt  out  to  the  villainous  wretch,  summary 
vengeance.  But  now,  he  was  on  an  errand  of 
mercy,  and  had  a  benevolent  purpose  to  serve, 
and  he  passed  it  by  with  the  re  mark,  "I  can  do 
better  than  that,  Slocum,  and  I  will,  too.  You 
had  better  get  your  papers  all  ready,  for  in  less 
than  two  hours  from  now  the  cash  will  be  in 
the  hands  of  Harry  Wardsworth  to  pay  the 
mortgage." 

"It  will,  will  it?  Perhaps  I  may  be  allowed 
to  inform  you  that  Harry  Wardsworth  don't 
own  the  property.  I  have  a  dted  for  it, 
and  a  written  agreement  signed  by  him  to 
vacate  it,  at  any  time,  on  receiving  ten  days' 
notice.  What  do  you  say  to  that,  Mr.  Sher 
wood?  You  will  have  to  buy  Wardsworth's 
wife  a  house  somewhere  else,  I  reckon,"  and 
again  he  gave  that  low,  insulting  laugh. 

"What  have  I  to  say  to  that,  Solomon  Slo 
cum?  I  say  you  are  either  an  infernal  liar  or 
an  infernal  scoundrel,  or  both.  I  say,  moreover, 
that  you  dare  not  go  to  the  prison  and  look 
your  victim  in  the  face.  You  dare  not  go  to 
the  home  of  which  you  have  robbed  him,  and 


THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  89 

look  into  the  face  of  his  suffering  wife,  whom 
you  liave  made  the  subject  of  your  brutal  jest; 
a  person  who  in  purity  and  true  virtue  is  as  far 
above  your  whisky  bloated  self,  as  God  is  purer 
than  Satan.  I  say  further,  that  you  dare  not 
go  down  with  me  to  Simkin's  office  and  show 
me  all  the  papers  you  hold  against  Wardsworth. 
I  say  still  further,  you  dare  not  tell  me,  just, 
truthfully,  how  you  became  possessed  of  that 
mortgage.  And  further  yet,  that  you  got  it  by 
fraud,  that  you  got  poor  Wardsworth  down  to 
Simkin's  office,  that  you  got  him  drunk,  and 
then  and  there  put  into  operation  a  plan  that 
would  put  to  shame  the  Devil  himself,  by  which 
you  robbed  him  of  his  home  and  sent  him  out 
a  beggar.  That  is  what  I  have  to  say,  Mr. 
Solomon  Slocum,  Esquire." 

"It  is  a  li#r  shouted  Slocum,  "an  infernal  lie, 
and  I  will  cane  any  man  that  dares  to  utter  it," 
and  springing  to  his  feet,  he  propelled  his  un 
wieldy  form  over  to  where  Sherwood  was 
standing. 

;i  Softly,  Slocum!  softly,  my  dear  sir  !  Remem 
ber  you  are  built  more  for  drinking  liquor  than 
for  fighting,  and  like  it  a  great  deal  better. 
You  had  better  calm  yourself.  I  have  yet  one 
or  two  things  to  say  before  I  go,  arid  I  will  say 
them  now." 

' "  You  won't,  I  say.  I  won't  listen  to  any  more  of 
your  infernal  lies.  You've  insulted  me  in  my  own 
house,  and  I  bid  you  get  out  of  it.  Do  you  hear  me?" 


90        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

"Certainly,  Squire  Slocum,  I  hear  you,  but 
you  forget  that  you  gave  me  the  first  insult.  I 
intend  to  do  your  bidding  presently,  and  leave 
your  house;  but  not  until  I  have  finished  my 
answer  to  the  question  you  asked  me  some  time 
ago.  You  a?ked  me  what  I  had  to  say  to  it.  I 
have  told  you  in  part,  please  do  not  interrupt 
me  till  I  have  finished.  I  said  you  have  robbed 
poor  Wards  worth  of  his  home.  You  feel  com 
paratively  safe,  because  you  know  it  would  not 
be  worth  while  to  expose  his  failings  and  dis 
grace  his  family,  besides  wasting  in  law  what 
little  there  is  left  that  your  rapacity  has  not 
stolen  from  him — hence  you  will  probably  pass 
into  possession.  But  let  me  tell  you,  Slocum, 
there  is  yet  a  God  in  Heaven,  and  sooner  or 
later  swift  and  awful  retribution  will  overtake 
you.  Why,  you  poor  coward,  you  are  trembling 
like  an  aspen,  even  now,  in  the  presence  of  a 
man  like  yourself.  What  wiil  you  do  when  God 
rises  up  to  judge  you  for  your  robbery  of  the 
poor,  and  to  visit  upon  you  the  awful  pun 
ishment  for  your  crimes?  You  asked  me  what 
I  had  to  say.  I  have  told  you.  Go  you  now 
and  take  poor  Harry  Wardswoiih'8  home. 
Turn  his  wife  and  child  into  the  street,  but 
remember  and  prepare  for  the  just  retribution 
that  is  sure  to  overtake  you;"  and  Mr.  Sherwood 
walked  out,  leaving  Slocum  the  most  sadly  dis 
concerted  man  in  the  city  of  Cedarville.  In 
fact  he  scarcely  knew  whether  he  w^as  dead  or 


THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.          91 

alive.  The  first  thing  lie  did  was  to  go  to  his 
cupboard  and  take  down  a  bottle  and  pour  out 
a  glass  of  brandy,  which  he  drank.  Not  of  his 
own  manufacture.  He  knew  too  much  about 
what  he  made  to  drink  that.  This  done,  his 
courage  revived,  and  looking  to  see  that  all  the 
doors  were  shut,  he  muttered:  "Confound  it, 
here  is  a  pretty  kettle  of  fish.  How  did  that 
fellow,  Sherwood,  ever  find  out  about  that 
mortgage?  I  am  just  in  time  in  getting  the 
property.  True,  as  he  says,  they  will  not  be 
apt  to  do  anything,  as  the  matter  stands,  and 
if  they  do,  I  have  Simkins  and  Bradshaw  fast 
enough.  They  will  both  swear  they  saw  me 
pay  the  money  over  to  Wardsworth.  That  will 
fix  that.  Hah!  Sherwood,  old  Slocum  is  a  little 
too  sharp  for  you  there." 

"True,  Wards  worth's  wife  has  not  signed  the 
deed,  and,  in  the  absence  of  her  signature,  there 
will  be  a  cloud  on  the  title.  I  will  fix 
that  all  right  however.  Wait  till  her  drunken 
husband  is  either  hung,  or  sent  to  prison,  and 
I  will  soon  fetch  her  to  time.  Nothing  like  star 
vation  for  bringing  proud  people  to  terms. 
Let  her  have  her  choice  between  signing  the 
deed,  and  the  alms  house  and  a  few  hundred 
dollars  will  secure  her  signature,  and  fix  that 
all  right.  As  I  don't  want  to  sell  the  property, 
I  can  afford  to  wait." 

"But  that  retribution  business  is  what  upset 
me.  Heavens!  he  talked  like  a  preacher.  I 


92  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

haven't  stopped  shaking  yet.  I  guess  I  will 
take  a  little  more  brandy,  that  will  set  me 
right  agaiu."  and  suiting  the  action  to  the  word, 
he  took  another  stiff  drink.  "Now  I  feel  better. 
I  must  go  and  see  Simkins  and  have  him  issue 
the  .notice  for  them  to  vacate  the  premiess  at 
once."  In  doing  which,  we  will  leave  him  to  his 
own  reflections. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  BLACKNESS  OF  DARKNESS. 

Mrs.  Bradley  carried  out  her  noble  resolution 
and  her  sister  never  suspected  the  sacrifice  she 
had  made.  While  bitterly  lamenting  the  loss 
of  her  beautiful  home,  a  feeling  of  devout  grat 
itude  went  up  to  God  that  even  that  small 
amount  was  saved  to  her.  The  house  had  so 
many  sorrowful  associations  connected  with  itT 
that  she  could  leave  it  with  far  more  resignation 
than  under  different  circumstances.  In  fact, 
the  loss  of  their  home  and  all  other  troubles 
seemed  to  be  swallowed  up  in  the  one  great 
sorrow  arising  from  the  condition  of  her  hus 
band.  Were  he  the  noble,  manly  man  he  was 
when  they  were  wed,  a  home  in  a  hovel  would  be 
a  palace  compared  with  their  present  condition. 

Still  she  did  not  lose  all  hope,  but  through 
all  the  accumulating  sorrows  still  clung  to  the 
belief  that  at  some  time  all  would  come  right 
again. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  93 

Oh  hope,  thou  most  precious  boon  to  mortals 
given.  Without  thee,  how  dark,  how  gloomy 
would  be  our  life's  journey.  Thou  dost  bid  the 
heart  take  courage  even  when  every  prospect 
fails.  Thou  dost  cheer  the  weary  pilgrim,  bind 
up  the  heart  that  is  broken,  paint  the  darkest 
cloud  with  a  silver  lining,  and  mingle  sweetness 
even  with  the  most  bitter  cup.  Thy  radiant  finger 
points  to  brighter  scenes  beyond,  and  thy  cheer 
ing  voice  makes  the  drooping  spirit  rally. 
Without  thy  bright  presence  earth  would  be 
desolate.  Despair  would  fold  her  gloomy  man 
tle  over  all,  and  voices  of  anguish  unuttera,ble 
would  chant  the  funeral  notes  of  the  world's 
sorrowful  dead. 

Mrs.  Wardsworth  had  finished  her  morning 
work  and  had  sat  down  for  a  few  moments  rest, 
when  the  door  bell  rang,  and  a  strange  gentle 
man  was  admitted — or  at  least  we  will  call  him 
that,  in  the  absence  of  any  known  classification 
to  give  him.  He  was  short  and  stout,  with  a 
very  red,  bloated  face,  and  a  most  villainous 
expression  of  countenance.  Without  heeding 
the  polite  invitation  to  be  seated,  he  stood  for 
some  minutes  fumbling  in  his  pockets,  and  then 
produced  a  note,  and  handing  it  to  Mrs.  Wards- 
worth,  remarked:  "Here's  a  letter  for  yer,  and 
I  was  told  to  wait  and  see  yer  read  it,  so  I  could 
swear  yer  got  the  notice  to  vacate,  supposing 
they  had  to  put  the  law  on  yer."  Mrs.  Wards- 
worth  took  the  missive  and  read  as  follows: 


94         THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

Notice  to  Vacate — To  Mrs.  Henry  Wardsworth: 
-You  are  no  doubt  aware  that  I  hold  a  deed 
of  the  property  now  occupied  by  you,  and  an 
agreement  signed  by  your  husband  to  vacate 
the  same  at  any  time  required,  011  receiving  ten 
days'  notice.  You  will  please,  therefore,  vacate 
the  residence  at  once.  Signed, 

SOLOMON  SLOCUM. 

By   his   att'y,    HEZEKIAH  SIMKINS. 

Dated  at  Cedarville, .  18 — . 

Mrs.  Wardsworth  glanced  over  the  document 
and  then  handed  it  to  her  sister,  merely  re 
marking  to  the  bearer,  ''You  can  say  to  Mr. 
Slocum  that  the  property  will  be  given  up  to 
him  without  any  delay  on  our  part." 

"I  guess  yer  better,"  replied  that  worthy  of 
ficial,  "'cause  old  Slocum  has  no  mercy  on  a 
feller  when  once  he  gets  him  in  his  paws." 
And  with  this  comforting  remark  he  left  the 
two  sisters  to  arrange  their  plans  as  best  they 
could. 

"Well,"  said  Mrs.  Bradley,  "I  suppose,  sister,  we 
must  look  the  matter  squarely  in  the  face.  The 
first  thing  to  do  is  to  find  a  suitable  house.  I 
am  stronger  than  you,  and  will  go  out  to  look 
for  one  and  let  you  attend  to  little  Harry,  and 
she  immediately  commenced  her  preparation. 
At  that  moment  the  door  bell  again  rang,  and 
Mr.  Sherwood  was  admitted.  He  had  often 
been  there  before  and  his  visits  had  always 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         95 

brought  sunshine.  A  brighter  atmosphere 
seemed  to  pervade  the  room  as  soon  as  he 
entered.  Without  any  false  modesty  he  imme 
diately  announced  his  errand. 

"I  learned  a  day  or  two  ago,  Mrs.  Wardsworth, 
that  your  property  here  had  passed  into  the 
possession  of  Slocum,  and  that  you  are  required 
to  vacate  it.  Is  that  correct?" 

"It  is,  Mr.  Sherwood.  We  have  just  received 
the  notice  to  do  so  this  morning,"  and  she 
passed  him  the  note.  Mr.  Sherwood  read  it 
over  and  with  a  smile,  remarked,  "I  see,  Slocum 
has  but  one  style  of  doing  business  with  all. 
But  I  consider  it  somewhat  fortunate,  Mrs. 
Wardsworth,  one  of  my  tenants  has  just  va 
cated  a  house  that  I  think  will  suit  you.  It  is 
a  very  comfortable  house  of  seven  rooms,  and 
on  a  good  street.  If  one  of  you  can  go  with 
me  I  shall  take  pleasure  in  showing  it  to  you." 

Thus,  even  in  the  darkness,  there  appeard  a 
ray  of  light.  Mrs.  Bradley  accompanied  Mr. 
Sherwood  and  found  the  house  more  than  they 
could  desire.  "As  for  the  rent,"  said  Mr. 
Sherwood,  "I  will  arrange  that  with  Mr.  Wards- 
worth  after  he  gets  through  with  his  trouble.  I 
consider  it  very  fortunate  that  it  is  vacant  just 
at  this  particular  time." 

Mr.  Sherwood  did  not  explain  how  it  became 
vacant.  He  did  not  say  that  he  had  paid  the 
tenant  fifty  dollars  to  have  him  move  out  of  it; 
but  such  was  the  fact,  nevertheless.  Ah,  no,  he 


96  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

did  not  say  that;  but  He,  who  knoweth  all 
things,  knew  it.  He  who  watcheth  the  sparrows7 
fall,  had  seen  it  all,  and  over  against  the  name 
of  Thomas  Sherwood  had  written,  "Inasmuch 
as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these, 
ye  have  done  it  unto  me.': 

Both  Mrs.  Wardsworth  and  her  sister  were 
deeply  affected  by  this  exhibition  of  true  gen 
erosity;  and  when  that  night  they  knelt  together 
in  their  evening  prayer,  side  by  side,  with 
their  petition  for  grace  for  the  erring  husband, 
went  up  the  earnest  supplication  that  blessings 
might  descend  upon  the  head  of  their  bene 
factor. 

The  next  thing  was  to  move,  and  they 
decided  to  do  that  the  day  after  to-morrow. 
They  had  sufficient  furniture  left  to  furnish 
the.  cottage  comfortably,  and  together  they 
could  make  it  a  very  cosy,  comfortable  home. 
The  next  day  they  received  a  call  from  Mrs. 
Sherwood.  She  came,  she  said,  to  go  over  to 
the  cottage  and  see  if  they  desired  any  change, 
and  putting  on  their  wraps,  and  taking  little 
Harry  in  his  carriage,  they  set  out.  Mrs. 
Wardsworth  appeared  more  cheerful  than  for 
months.  She  even  joined  in  the  laugh  that 
arose,  and  entered  with  something  of  her  old 
cheerfulness  into  her  sister's  plans  for  fur 
nishing  the  cottage. 

Somehow,  Mrs.  Sherwood  succeeded  in  learn 
ing  all  the  sister's  plans;  some  slight  changes 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  97 

were  suggested  which  it  was  concluded  would 
take  one  or  two  days  to  complete,  so  it  was  de- 
€ided  to  postpone  the  moving  for  one  day 
longer.  Before  leaving,  the  visitor  secured  a 
promise  that  the  sisters  would  spend  the  day 
after  to-morrow  with  her.  The  carriage  would 
call  for  them  early  and  they  must  come  pre 
pared  to  spend  the  entire  day. 

According  to  promise,  Mrs.  Sherwood  called 
in  person  for  her  friends,  and  so  far  as  it  was 
possible  under  the  circumstances,  Mrs.  Wards- 
worth  enjoyed  her  visit.  When  night  came 
they  were  prevailed  on  to  remain  till  morning. 

ul  am  very  sorry,  Mrs.  Wardsworth,"  remarked 
Mr.  Sherwood,  next  morning  at  breakfast,  "but 
we  did  not  succeed  yesterday  in  getting  our 
work  quite  finished  at  the  cottage.  If  we  can 
prevail  upon  you  to  remain  with  my  wife  to 
day,  I  am  sure  it  will  be  ready  for  you  to 
morrow.  Perhaps  Mrs.  Bradley  could  ride  over 
with  me  in  the  carriage,  and  give  a  little 
instruction  on  one  or  two  points."  To  this 
arrangement  Mrs.  Wardsworth  consented,  al 
though  the  time  dragged  heavily.  She  was 
now  more  than  ever  anxious  to  leave  a  place  so 
full  of  painful  memories  and  retire  to  the 
quietness  of  her  cottage  home. 

After  breakfast  Mr.  Sherwood  and  Mrs. 
Bradley  drove  over  to  the  cottage,  promising 
to  be  back  to  dinner.  It  was  late  when  they 
returned,  and  consequently,  that  evening  tea 


98  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

was  served  a  little  later  than  usual.  As  Mrs. 
Wardsworth  declined  to  remain  longer,  the 
carriage  was  ordered  and  the  two  sisters  were 
driven  home.  Somewhat  to  Mrs.  Wardsworth's 
surprise,  the  carriage  was  driven  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  cottage,  Mrs.  Bradley  explaining 
that  she  left  a  parcel  there  she  wished  to  get. 
On  arriving  it  was  proposed  that  they  go  in  and 
see  how  the  changes  suited.  On  reaching  the 
house,  Mrs.  Wardsworth  uttered  an  exclamation 
of  astonishment.  Everything  was  done.  The 
carpets  were  down,  stoves  up,  beds  arranged, 
all  the  furniture  in  its  place,  and  everything 
in  perfect  order  for  housekeeping,  with  no 
necessity  for  going  to  the  old  place  again. 

At  this  exhibition  of  thoughtful  kindness  Mrs. 
Wardsworth  was  overcome,  and  throwing  her 
arms  around  her  sister,  wept  tears  of  gratitude. 

"Oh!  it  is  so  thoughtful  and  kind  of  you, 
sister.  What  would  I  do  in  this  hour  of  my 
soul's  dark  trial  were  it  riot  for  you?" 

"Please,  sister,  do  not  give  me  the  credit  for 
it.  It  was  Mrs.  Sherwood's  plan,  and  I  only  en 
tered  into  it.  She  is  a  noble  Christian  woman, 
I  think." 

"She  is  truly.  How  true  it  is,  sister,  that  tile- 
bitterest  cup  contains  some  drops  of  sweetness, 
and  the  darkest  cloud  may  have  a  s'lvery  lining 
Oh,  if  Harry  were  only  here,  and  with  this 
dark  cloud  lifted  from  him,  this  cottage  would 
be  a  paradise.  But  oh,  how  my  poor,  weak  faith 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  99 

does  sometimes  waver  and  my  weary  feet  almost 
refuse  to  walk  the  path  so  thickly  crowded  with 
thorns.  Kate,  do  you  think  it  possible  that  so 
dark  a  night  can  ever  know  a  morning?" 

For  answer,  Mrs.  Bradley  drew  her  sister's  head 
upon  her  breast,  and  gently  stroking  the 
throbbing  temples,  said,  as  if  in  meditation: 

"It  was  a  dark  tempestuous  night.  Hour  after 
hour  the  storm  had  raged  on  Geneseret's  lake. 
The  weary  disciples  had  put  forth  every  effort 
in  vain.  The  wind  blew  more  fiercely,  the 
billows  rolled  higher,  and  the  frail  craft, 
tossed  about  more  wildly.  Shipwreck  and 
death  stared  them  in  the  face.  In  this  hour  of 
their  peril  they  came  to  their  Savior.  'Master, 
carest  thou  not  that  we  perish?'  It  is  enough. 
The  Savior  but  looked  out  upon  the  tempest 
and  breathed  the  gentle  command,  'Peace,  be 
still,'  and  lo!  there  was  a  great  calm.  Beller 
that  same  Savior  is  saying  to  you,  'Come  unto 
me  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and 
I  will  give  you  rest.'  I  know  how  dark  your 
pathway  has  been,  and  I  do  not  know  how  much 
deeper  may  be  the  darkness  through  which 
you  will  yet  have  to  pass;  but  I  do  know  He 
has  said,  'I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee.'  Your  faith  has  been  sorely  tried,  and 
may  be  tried  yet  more  severely,  but  as  you  have 
so  faithfully  believed  and  so  nobly  trusted,  do 
not  let  your  hope  forsake  you  now." 

Thus  did  the  loving  sister  and  wise   counsel- 


100        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

lor  instruct  and  comfort,  till  at  last,  she  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  wavering  faith 
again  reassert  itself,  and  looking  up  smiling 
through  her  tears,  her  sister  replied: 

"Bless  you,  dear  Kate,  for  those  words  of 
encouragement  and  hope.  I  do  feel  that  come 
what  will,  God  is  too  wise  to  err,  and  too  good 
to  be  unkind.  I  will  trust  him,  even  though  he 
slay  me." 

"And  now,  dear  Belle,  I  must  begin  to  talk  of 
leaving  you.  I  have  been  with  you  several 
weeks,  and  I  feel  as  though  duty  calls  me  back 
to  my  loved  ones  in  the  east.  It  is  hard  for 
me  to  leave  you  in  your  sorrow,  and  I  still  think 
it  would  be  better  for  you  to  go  with  me,  but 
at  the  same  time,  my  heart  approves  your  strong 
determination  to  stand  by  your  husband  to  the 
last.  I  shall  probably  leave  you  in  a  few  days, 
but  remember  Belle,  whatever  betides,  your 
place  in  our  home  is  open  for  you,  as  that  in 
our  hearts  is  already  filled." 

"Oh  I  know,  Kate,  how  dear  I  am  to  you, 
and  how  cheerfully  you  would  receive  me;  but 
for  the  present,  I  have  but  one  thought,  and 
that  is  for  poor  Harry.  I  shall  lay  no  plans  for 
the  future,  but  hope  and  pray,  if  it  be  God's 
will,  that  he  will  restore  me  my  husband.  If 
that  cannot  be  done,  that  he  will  give  me  grace 
to  bear  whatever  his  hand  may  send  me.  And 
now,  as  it  is  late,  let  us  retire .  To-morrow  I 
must  go  again  and  see  Harry. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  101 

The  days  swiftly  sped  and  the  time  arrived 
for  Mrs.  Bradley  to  return.  Indeed,  she  would 
have  started  a  day  or  two  before,  but  little  Harry 
had  been  unwell,  and  she  did  not  wish  to  leave. 
Now,  however,  he  was  better,  and  the  next  day 
was  set  for  her  departure.  But  that  night  there 
came  another  messenger.  He  came,  notwith 
standing  the  doors  were  barred  and  the  win 
dows  fastened.  He  stole  in  noiselessly,  and 
they  dreamed  not  of  his  coming  until  he  had 
gained  admittance  and  his  cold  breath  was  felt 
upon  the  cheek,  and  his  icy  fingers  grasped  the 
strings  of  life . 

About  midnight  Mrs.  Bradley  was  awakened 
by  her  sister.  "Come  into  my  room,  Kate,  and 
look  at  Harry.  He  is  making  such  a  strange  noise, 
and  I  do  not  know  what  is  the  matter  with  him." 

Mrs.  Bradley  hastily  threw  on  a  wrapper  and 
went  into  her  sister's  room.  She  found  the 
little  fellow  apparently  sleeping,  but  his  breath 
ing  was  labored,  and  with  each  inspiration  there 
was  a  sort  of  crowing  sound. 

"What  do  you  think  is  the  matter  with  him, 
Kate?" 

Mrs.  Bradley  did  not  answer  for  a  moment, 
but  presently  she  said: 

"Belle,  do  you  make  a  fire  as  quickly  as  you  can, 
and  get  some  water  on  to  heat.  I  will  dress  and 
go  for  Dr.  Thornton.  I  fear  the  child  has  the 
croup.  We  have  no  time  for  lamentations  or 
hesitation.  This  must  be  met  promptly,  and 


102  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

hastening  to  her  room  she  was  very  soon  ready 
for  her  visit  to  summon  the  doctor.  Fortu 
nately,  that  gentleman  had  just  returned  from 
a  visit,  and  had  not  yet  retired.  Answering 
the  bell  himself,  he  was  surprised  to  meet  Mrs. 
Bradley.  She  quickly  delivered  her  message, 
and  stated  her  fears  relative  to  the  case,  and 
asking  him  to  come  at  once,  hurried  back  with 
out  waiting  for  him. 

Dr.  Thornton  awakened  his  wife,  and  asking 
her  to  arouse  James,  the  servant,  and  send  him 
up  in  case  he  might  be  needed,  hastened  at 
once  to  the  sick  chamber. 

There  was  no  mistaking  those  symptoms. 
They  pointed  too  unmistakably  to  that  terrible 
disease — croup. 

By  this  time  the  servant  arrived,  and  hastily 
scribbling  a  note  he  directed  the  servant  to 
carry  it  to  Dr.  Nichols.  It  read  as  follows: 

"Dear  Doctw: — Come  at  once  to  255  Cedar 
street,  and  help  me  in  a  severe  case  of  croup. 
We  must  save  the  patient." 

In  a  very  short  time  Dr.  Nichols  arrived,  and 
then  the  battle  commenced  in  earnest.  Dr. 
Thornton's  treatment  was  approved,  and  to 
gether  the  two  physicians  bent  all  their  ener 
gies  to  arrest  the  dread  disease.  Oh,  what  a 
mortal  struggle!  On  the  one  side  sympathy, 
reputation,  science  and  knowledge,  and  on  the 
other  fell  disease.  All  night  long  the  struggle 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  103 

continued,  the  helpless  mother  looking  on  the 
terrible  scene  in  an  agony  of  hope  and  fear. 
Never  did  science  put  forth  more  noble  efforts, 
and  never  did  she  have  a  more  stubborn  and 
deadly  foe  to  contend  with. 

When  the  cold  gray  morning  stole  into  the 
room  and  lighted  up  the  haggard  faces  of  the 
lone  watchers,  it  found  the  struggle  ended. 
The  vanquished  representatives  of  science  who 
had  so  nobly  fought  with  Death,  stood  looking 
with  solemn,  speechless  sorrow  on  the  result  of 
the  conflict.  Their  eyes  rested  only  on  the 
cold  dead  for.n  of  what,  but  yesterday,  was  the 
fondest  hope  and  joy  of  his  suffering 
mother,  litttle  Harry  Wardsworth.  The  form 
was  there,  the  same  sweet  smile  rested  on  his 
countenance,  but  the  childish  laugh  was  silent, 
and  the  arms  that  so  often  loved  to  twine  the 
mother's  neck,  lay  peacefully  folded  across  the 
breast,  for  little  Harry  Wardsworth  was  dead. 
Beside  the  dead  form  the  mother  sat,  looking 
down  upon  it  with  cold  tearless  eyes.  "Oh 
God,"she  cried/'surely  them  hast  brought  me  into 
the  blackness  of  darkness.  Oh,  Kate !  what  great 
sin  have  I  committed  that  I  should  suffer  thus 
terribly?  Can  it  be  that  even  God,  in  whom  I 
have  trusted,  has  risen  up  against  me  ?"  and  she 
gave  way  to  her  unutterable  anguish. 

Gradually  she  became  calmer  and  suffered 
herself  to  be  removed  from  the  room,  and 
Mrs.  Thornton,  who  had  been  summoned  by  her 


104         THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

husband,  and  Mrs.  Bradley,  set  about  preparing 
the  body  for  its  last  resting  place. 

The  suffering  mother  sought  the  quiet  and 
privacy  of  her  own  room.  There,  in  the  early 
morning,  another  messenger  found  her.  Found 
her  kneeling  at  the  vacant  crib,  with  hands  up 
lifted  and  streaming  eyes  upturned  to  Heaven. 
It  was  the  messenger  of  Peace.  He  had  caught 
the  ascending  prayer  arid  bore  it  up  to  the 
Throne  of  the  Eternal.  It  fell  upon  the  ear  of 
Him  who  never  yet  hath  said  to  the  seed  of 
Jacob,  "Seek  ye  my  face  in  vain."  The  Com 
forter  came  down,  and  taking  his  place 
beside  the  kneeling,  suffering  pleader,  set  the 
seal  of  Divine  peace  upon  her  heart.  Above 
the  storm  was  heard  the  Divine  promise,  "I 
will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake  thee."  Faith 
again  mounted  above  the  thick  darkness  and 
rested  upon  God.  When  she  came  down  from 
that  "secret  place  of  the  most  high,"  how 
changed!  The  look  of  despair  had  given  place 
to  one  of  calm  resignation  and  trust. 

How  peacefully  slept  her  dead!  ?  How  "safe 
in  the  arms  of  Jesus!"  She  felt  that  her  loving 
Father  had  done  wisely,  although  she  could  not 
trace  the  wonders  of  his  hand.  Stooping  down 
and  pressing  a  kiss  upon  the  dear  dead  face,  she 
exclaimed.  "The  Lord  gave  and  the  Lord  hath 
taken  away."  "Oh,  help  me,  Father,  to 
bow  in  meekness  to  thy  chastening  rod." 
Faith  had  triumphed  where  science  failed, 


THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  105 

and     "underneath     her     were     the     everlast 
ing   arms." 

The  next  day  was  the  burial,  and  kind 
friends  came  in  and  took  sole  charge  of  the  ar 
rangements.  Sherwood  and  Thornton  selected 
a  beautiful  lot  in  the  cemetery,  and  after  ar 
ranging  for  the  digging  of  the  grave,  went  to 
break  the  tidings  as  gently  as  possible  to  the 
incircerated  father.  They  made  an  early  call, 
first  on  the  Judge,  and  then  in  company  with 
that  gentleman,  on  the  sheriff. 

"Davis,"  said  the  Judge,  to  the  sheriff,  I  have 
a  mind  to  grant  the  request  of  these  gentlemen, 
if  you  will  allow  me  to  assume  the  responsi 
bility,  and  allow  Mr.  Wardsworth  to  go  and  at- 
teud  the  funeral  of  his  child.  I  know  the  risk 
we  run  in  doing  so,  but  it  is  for  humanity's  sake. 
I  believe  we  can  rely  on  Wardsworth's  honor. 
The  res  alt  was  that  they  all  repaired  to  Wards- 
worth's  ceil,  and  how  it  all  happened  no  one 
ever  knew,  but  when  they  came  out  the  prisoner 
accompanied  them.* 

While  Sherwood  took  Wardsworth  with  him 
for  a  complete  change  of  clothing,  Thornton 
went  to  tli-3  cottage  to  convey  the  news  of  his 
coming;  and  so  it  happened  that  two  hours  be 
fore  that  appointed  for  the  funeral  service,  the 
stricken  wife  and  mother  was  permitted  to  lean, 
weeping,  on  the  breast  of  her  husband,  as 

*An  occurrence  similar  to  that  above  described  was 
known  to  the  author  in  1860. 


106  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

together  they  looked  down  upon  the  peaceful 
face  of  their  dead. 

At  two  p.  m.  the  friends  assembled  for  the 
last  rites.  They  were  those  who  had  known 
Harry  Wards  worth  in  the  days  of  his  pros 
perity,  and  who  had  been  his  fast  friends  all 
through  his  downward  career.  Those  who  had 
labored  for  his  recovery,  and  who  even  yet 
hoped  for  the  best.  Not  one  of  his  companions 
in  dissipation  was  there.  They  had  drunk  of 
his  wine,  had  pledged  him  in  the  cup,  in  the 
better  days  of  his  prosperity,  had  partaken  of 
his  generosity,  but  now,  in  his  humiliation,  not 
one  was  there  to  speak  a  word  of  comfort. 
Even  thus  cruel  is  rum  to  its  victims. 

The  funeral  service  began,  and  the  voice  of 
the  aged  minister  grew  tremulous  with  emotion 
as  he  read  the  beautifully  solemn  words  of  the 
Episcopal  burial  service.  "Man  that  is  born  of 
woman  is  of  few  days  and  full  of  trouble.  He 
cometh  forth  as  a  flower  and  is  cut  down."  He 
continued  reading  to  the  end,  and  the  service 
was  concluded.  Still  no  one  moved.  A  spell 
seemed  to  be  upon  all.  The  silence  became  op 
pressive.  The  pastor  laid  aside  his  ritual  and 
bowed  his  head  in  extempore  prayer.  His 
prayer  became  more  earnest  and  his  voice  more 
tremulous  as  he  prayed  for  the  tempted  and 
erring  father.  Oh!  how  he  plead  that  Om 
nipotence  might  come  to  his  deliverance  ;  and 
as  he  prayed,  his  listeners  caught  the  inspiration 


THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  107 

of  his  faith,  and  from  many  a  lip  was  heard  the 
low,  fervent  "God  grant  it."  He  prayed  for  the 
wife  and  now  childless  mother.  That  her  faith 
might  not  fail  her  in  this  hour  of  her  extremity. 
Again  the  listening  spirit  caught  up  the  pe 
tition,  and  it  was  treasured  in  the  book  of 
God's  remembrance. 

The  funeral  service  was  closed  and  the  dear 
little  form  left  to  its  peaceful  sleep  in  Rose- 
bloom  cemetery.  An  hour  or  two  at  home  and 
then  Wardsworth  must  return  to  his  cell.  He 
had  pledged  his  honor  that  he  would  do  so,  and 
that  pledge  should  be  kept  inviolate,  whatever 
the  consequence  might  be.  But  who  shall  tell 
the  result  of  that  hour,  amid  the  solemn  influ 
ences  of  his  home,  still  filled  with  the  radiant 
presence  of  a  living  faith,  even  amid  the 
solemnities  of  death.  What  sad  retrospects! 
What  lockings  forward?  What  sins  repented 
of,  what  resolutions  made?  What  backward 
longings  over  joys  departed,  what  aspirations 
toward  a  purer  and  a  better  life?  Who  shall 
tell  what  thoughts  of  prayer  went  up,  or  what 
aspurances  of  comfort  and  strength  came  down 
upon  his  soul?  Ah!  none  may  enter  into  the 
sacred  sanctuary  of  that,  save  him  who  knoweth 
the  hearts  of  all,  and  who  permits  not  one 
earnest  desire  after  good  to -fall  unheeded  in  his 
ear.  Suffice  it  to  say,  when  the  evening- 
shadows  gathered  and  the  stars  came  out,  one 
by  one,  the  sad  adieus  were  spoken,  and  Harry 


108  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

Wardsworth  took  again  his  prison  garments  and 
went  back  to  his  solitude  and  his  cell. 

Mrs.  Bradley  now,  more  than  ever,  thought 
to  prevail  on  her  sister  to  accompany  her  home 
and  remain,  at  least,  till  time  for  Wardsworth's 
trial,  which  would  not  come  off  yet  for  several 
weeks.  To  this,  however,  she  would  not  consent. 
To  all  Kate's  arguments  she  would  answer, 
"please  sister,  do  not  urge  me.  God  has  kindly 
taken  care  of  little  Harry,  and  now  I  have 
nothing  to  do  but  to  give  my  life  wholly  to  my 
husband.  Oh,  Kate,  my  dear  sister,  you  can't 
tell  how,  with  what  loving,  longing  sympathy 
my  heart  yearns  toward  him  now.  If  the  sac 
rifice  of  my  life  could  be  but  his  ransom,  I  am 
ready  to  lay  it  on  the  altar.  More  than  ever  he 
needs  my  presence  near  him,  and  more  than 
ever  am  I  now  in  a  position  to  minister  to  his 
wants  and  to  influence  him  for  good.  Please, 
dear  Kate,  don't  think  me  ungrateful,"  and  she 
wound  her  arms  tenderly  around  her  sister's 
neck  and  raised  her  tearful  eyes  to  her  face— 
"but  I  can't  leave  my  husband.'' 

Finding  it  useless  to  urge  her  further,  the  elder 
sister  prepared  for  her  departure.  The  hour  of 
separation  came,  the  last  farewell  spoken,  the 
last  impassioned  kiss  given,  and  Mrs.  Bradley 
was  borne  swiftly  away,  leaving  the  heartbroken 
wife  and  childless  mother  to  take  up  anew  the 
burden  of  her  sorrow  and  carry  it  alone. 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  TRIAL. 

Let  not  the  reader  imagine  that  during  all  the 
events  recorded  in  the  last  chapter,  Harry 
Wardsworth,  or  his  future  welfare,  was  treated 
with  indifference.  His  wife  had  continued  to 
make  him  regular  visits,  and  strove  by  every 
art  in  her  power  to  lift  him  up  to  a  higher 
plane  of  thought.  Sherwood  and  Dr.  Thonton, 
with  others,  also  interested  themselves  and 
made  every  needful  preparation  for  his  trial,  as 
well  as  to  arouse  the  better  energies  of  his  na 
ture,  and  thus  prepare  him  for  the  new  struggle 
in  which  he  would  have  to  engage  after  his 
release. 

As  for  Wardsworth  himself,  he  seemed  almost 
to  have  lost  all  interest  in  life.  He  would  sit 
for  hours  apparently  in  deep  meditation,  unless 
aroused,  and  then  would  answer  so  vaguely, 
and  in  that  listless  sort  of  a  way,  which  showed 
his  mind  to  be  occupied  with  something  else. 
His  friends  saw  very  clearly,  that  if  left  to 
himself  to  prepare  for  trial,  he  would  be  almost 
completely  at  the  mercy  of  his  enemies,  and  set 
themselves  resolutely  to  work,  resolved  that  he 


110  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

should  have  simple,  impartial  justice,  and  they 
asked  nothing  more. 

One  morning  the  Hon.  Hezekiah  Simkins  was 
surprised  by  a  visit  from  Sherwood. 

"Simkins,"  said  Sherwood,  "I  have  called  to 
see  if  you  will  allow  yourself  to  be  retained  for 
the  defense  of  Wardsworth  in  the  approaching 
trial." 

'•Really,  Mr.  Sherwood,  I  am  sorry  to  disap 
point  you,  but  I  do  not  think  I  can  take  the 
case  for  the  prisoner." 

"And  why  not,  will  you  allow  me  to  ask? 

"Well,"  and  Simkins  looked  uneasily  around, 
for  several  reasons.  "In  the  first  place,  there 
is  no  disguising  the  fact,  that  Wardsworth  is  a 
poor,  drunken,  reprobate,  and  whoever  has  any 
thing  to  do  with  him  must  expect  to  lose  his 
hold  on  respectable  society." 

"Not  necessarily,  Simkins.  I  have  stood  by 
Wardsworth  all  the  way  through,  and  intend  to 
stand  by  him  to  the  end.  I  have  not  yet  lost 
my  respectability,  and  do  not  think  there  is  the 
least  danger  of  doing  so.  So  far  from  that,  I 
have  always  regarded  it  as  pre-eminently  re 
spectable  to  stoop  down  to  human  wretchedness 
and  help  to  raise  the  fallen.  As  to  your  fee, 
you  need  have  no  fear  about  that.  I  will  see 
it  paid." 

"Oh,  I  don't  mind  the  fee,  so  far  as  that  is 
concerned,  but  to  tell  the  truth,  I  have  promised 
to  assist  the  state's  attorney  in  the  prosecution." 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.        Ill 

"All!  then  you  are  retained  against  him.  So, 
putting  your  theory  and  your  practice  together, 
they  amount  to  this:  You  believe  Wardsworth 
to  be  a  poor  drunken  outcast,  of  whom  the 
sooner  the  world  is  rid  of  the  better,  and  acting 
on  that  belief,  you  have  arranged  to  do  your 
share  toward  accomplishing  that  end.  Now 
my  belief  is  just  the  reverse  of  yours,  and  there 
fore  my  action  directly  opposite.  I  believe 
Wardsworth  yet  possesses  the  elements  of  a 
true  and  noble  manhood.  I  believe  also,  that 
there  is  sufficient  hope  in  his  case  to  warrant 
the  most  gigantic  efforts  to  save  him;  and  acting 
on  that  belief,  I  am  bound  to  make  such  an 
effort.  I  am  glad,  however,  -to  know  you  will  be 
there,  for  we  shall  want  you  for  an  important 
witness  for  the  defense." 

"I,  an  important  witness?  And  pray,  what 
do  you  expect  to  prove  by  me?  I  know  nothing 
about  the  case." 

"Not  so  fast,  Simkins.  I  think  you  do  know 
a  good  deal  about  the  case.  And  now,  to 
answer  your  question,  we  expect  to  prove  by 
you  where  Wardsworth  first  became  intoxicated 
on  the  night  of  the  killing.  We  expect  to  prove 
by  you  how  Slocum  came  to  get  possession  of 
Wardsworth's  home.  We  propose  to  prove  by 
you  just  where  he  was  up  to  the  hour  when  we 
first  find  him  at  Sweeney's  saloon.  In  short, 
Simkins,  we  propose  to  prove  by  you,  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  public,  if  not  that  of  the  law, 


112  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

at  whose  door  lies  not  only  tlie  killing  of  Frank 
Steele,  but  the  ruin  of  Wardsworth  as  well. 
Since  you  will  not  allow  yourself  to  be  retained 
as  counsel,  we  shall  take  advantage  of  your 
presence  and  you  as  a  witness.  Be  sure  and  be 
present,  Simkins,  for  we  shall  need  you;"  and 
taking  his  hat,  Sherwood  departed. 

"I  fancy  that  has  settled  the  question  so  far 
as  Simkins  is  concerned,"  said  Sherwood  to 
himself,  as  he  walked  away.  "If  my  suspicions 
are  correct,  the  state's  attorney  will  have  to 
look  elsewhere  for  assistance  than  to  Hon.  Hez- 
ekiah  Simkins.  That  shot  told.  If  I  thought 
there  was  the  slightest  prospect  of  his  swearing 
to  the  truth,  I  would  summons  him,  but  he  is 
such  a  rascal  to  begin  with,  and  is  so  much  un 
der  the  power  of  Slocum,  that  I  will  not  run  the 
risk  of  making  him  perjure  himself.  If  I  can 
frighten  him  sufficiently  to  make  him  keep  out 
of  the  way,  that  is  sufficient." 

Simkins  was  taken  all  aback.  "This  is  a 
pretty  medley,"  said  he  to  himself.  "A  nice 
mess  truly.  On  the  one  hand  there  is  that  five 
hundred  dollars  old  Slocum  promised  me  if  I 
could  convict  Wardsworth,  so  as  to  get  him  out 
of  the  way,  but  on  the  other,  I  run  the  risk  of 
convicting  both  myself  and  Slocum.  I'm  blessed 
if  I  haven't  a  mind  to  give  the  whole  thing 
away.  Wonder  if  Sherwood  would  not  give  a 
bigger  fee  to  have  me  defend  Wardsworth  than 
old  Slocum  gives  to  convict  him.  The  old 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         113 

scoundrel!  I  don't  wonder  he  wants  to  get 
poor  Wardswortli  out  of  sight.  Hah!  I  have  it. 
I'll  go  to  Slocum  and  tell  him  all  that  Sherwood 
has  said.  That  he  is  going  to  put  me  on  the 
stand  and  prove  the  whole  transaction  relative 
to  the  getting  of  Wardsworth's  property.  If  I 
don't  frighten  him  out  of  another  five  hundred 
then  my  name  is  not  Hezekiah  Simkiiis;"  and 
seizing  his  hat  he  started  for  Slocum's  office. 

'I  say,  Slocum,  what  the  mischief  do  you 
think  is  to  pay  now?" 

"Why,  what?  Nothing  bad,  I  hope;"  and 
Slocum  started  up  and  turned  pale. 

"Only  this,  that  the  whole  business  of  getting 
Wardsworth's  property  is  out,  and  is  all  to  be 
laid  before  the  court  at  his  trial." 

"It  can't  be  possible.  Why,  how  could  it? 
Who  told  you?" 

'•Sherwood,  the  wholesale  merchant.  He  has 
just  left  my  office.  He  says  he  knows  all  about 
it.  I  strongly  suspect  that  that  rascal,  Brad- 
shaw,  has  squealed.  At  all  events  he  says  he 
is  going  to  put  me  on  the  stand  and  prove  the 
whole  transaction." 

"But  you  won't  swear  to  it,  will  you?"  said 
Slocum,  almost  imploringly.  The  wily  lawyer 
saw  his  advantage,  and  hastened  to  follow  it 
up. 

"Look  here,  Slocum,"  he  said,  "suppose 
Bradshaw  has  gone  back  on  us,  and  he  goes  be 
fore  the  court  and  swears  that  you  got  that 


114        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

mortgage,  and  that  last  five  hundred,  dollars  on 
the  night  of  the  murder,  by — well,  as  you  did 
get  them, — and  suppose  it  should  come  out  that 
I  have  not  only  aided  you,  but  been  guilty  of 
perjury,  will  it  help  you  any?" 

"No,  I  suppose  not.  But  what  can  we 
do?" 

"Sherwood  has  been  to  me,  also,  and  offered 
me  a  very  large  fee  to  defend  the  prisoner. 
He  said  he  knew  if  I  defended  Wards  worth,  he 
would  be  cleared ;  and  then  they  should  enter 
an  action  against  you  for  fraud." 

"How  much  did  he  offer  you?  Did  you  not 
tell  him  you  were  retained  by  the  prosecu 
tion?" 

"I  certainly  did,  and  he  said  that  is  just  what 
he  wanted,  for  he  should  put  me  on  the  stand. 
The  fact  is,  Slocum,  there  is  only  one  of  two 
things  can  be  done.  I  must  either  take  the 
case  for  the  prisoner,  or  you  must  make  it 
worth  my  while  to  keep  out  of  the  way.  For 
tunately,  I  have  not  yet  received  a  summons, 
and  probably  will  not  for  awhile,  as  they  ex 
pect  me  to  be  there." 

The  result  of  the  above  conversation  was,  that 
a  few  days  before  the  expected  trial,  the  state's 
attorney  received  the  following  note  from 
Sim  kins: 

CEDARVILLE,  -         — ,  18 — . 

Dear  Sir: — I  very  much  regret  that  important 
business  calls  me  to  a  distant  part  of  the  State, 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  115 

and  that,  in  consequence,  I  shall  be  unable  to 
assist  you  in  the  approaching  trial  of  The 
People  against  Henry  Wardsworth. 

Very  truly  yours, 
HON.  HEZEKIAH  SIMKINS. 

The  writer  of  the  above  letter,  with  one 
thousand  dollars  of  Slocum's  money  safely 
stowed  away  in  his  pocket,  was  conveniently 
absent  from  the  trial. 

A  few  days  after  the  events  narrated  above, 
a  number  of  Wardsworth's  friends  were  together 
in  Sherwood's  counting-room.  They  were  there 
by  appointment  to  make  definite  arrangements 
for  his  defense. 

'•I  say,  Sherwood,"  asked  Dr.  Thornton,  "what 
was  the  result  of  your  visit  to  Simkins." 

"It  was  so  far  satisfactory,  that  we  may  rely 
upon  it,  if  Simkins  is  associated  with  the  state's 
attorney  in  the  case,  our  suspicions  are  not  well 
founded.  On  the  other  hand,  if  they  are  correctr 
and  I  verily  believe  they  are,  Simkins  and 
Slocum  will  both  be  afraid  to  face  the  fear  of 
the  consequences,  and  will  be  absent;  and  who 
ever  argues  the  case  can,  in  their  absence,  make 
a  powerful  argument  in  addressing  the  jury.  I 
believe  we  have  thrown  a  bomb-shell  in  the 
enemy's  camp.  At  all  events  we  have  done  a 
wise  tiling,  and  in  any  event  a  safe  one.  And 
now,  gentlemen,  whom  shall  we  employ  to 
defend  the  prisoner?  I  have  a  note  here  from 


116  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

one  of  my   travelling   salesmen,   written   from 

L ,  some  two  hundred  miles  south,  which  I 

will  read  to  you. 

Li  ,  ,    lo         . 

THOMAS  SHERWOOD,  ESQ. 

Dear  Sir: — I  have  made  the  acquaintance  of 
a  lawyer  here  who  volunteers  to  undertake  the 
defense  of  Harry  Wardsworth.  I  have  taken 
pains  to  inquire  into  his  standing,  and  find  that 
he  ranks  very  high  in  his  profession.  Moreover, 
he  also  has  known  the  sad  consequences  of  rum 
drinking,  but  he  has  been  rescued,  and  is  now  a 
most  earnest  temperance  worker.  He  only  asks 
that  his  name  be  kept  secret,  in  connection 
with  the  defense,  especially  from  Wardsworth. 
The  fee  is  of  no  consequence.  I  think  he  is 
just  the  man  for  you.  Truly  yours, 

W.  J.  HAKVEY. 

The  result  of  the  above  letter  was,  that  the 
next  train  bore  Sherwood  to  L ,  the  conse 
quence  of  whose  visit  will  be  seen  at  the  trial. 

At  last  the  expected  day  arrived.  So  great 
was  the  excitement  and  interest  in  the  case,  that 
long  before  the  hour  for  opening  the  court,  the 
room  was  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity,  and 
hundreds  were  unable  to  gain  admittance. 
Public  opinion  was  somewhat  divided  as  to  the 
merits  of  the  case.  Some,  and  they  were  of  the 
class  who  generally  followed  the  lead  of  such 
men  as  Slocum,  regarded  it  as  nothing  less  than 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.        117 

cold-blooded  murder,  and  insisted  that  nothing 
short  of  imprisonment  for  life  would  satisfy  the 
claims  of  outraged  law.  Others,  taking  a  more 
lenient  view,  argued  that  the  death  of  Steele 
was  not  the  result  of  the  blow,  but  the  fall; 
and  as  Wards  worth  had  no  intention  to  murder, 
the  most  that  could  be  made  out  of  it  would 
be  manslaughter.  Still  a  third  class,  and  these 
the  most  intelligent  of  all,  looked  upon  both 
Steele  and  Wardsworth  as  but  the  victims,  the 
former  of  legalized  murder,  perpetrated  by  the 
liquor  traffic  under  the  protection  of  law. 

At  the  appointed  hour  the  Judge  took  his 
seat,  the  court  was  opened,  and  the  first  case 
on  the  docket  was  found  to  be  "The  State  against 
Henry  Wardsworth,  who  stands  charged  with 
the  murder  of  Frank  Steele." 

"Sheriff,  bring  up  the  prisoner;"  and  Wards- 
worth  was  placed  in  the  criminal's  box. 

"Is  the  prisoner  represented  by  legal  coun 
sel?"  asked  the  Judge.  At  that  moment  there 
was  a  movement  in  the  audience,  and  a  gentle 
man  came  forward,  and  taking  his  place  at  the 
table,  said  with  a  smile:  "May  it  please  the 
court,  I  believe  I  am  to  represent  the  prisoner." 

Instantly  every  voice  was  hushed  and  all  eyes 
were  bent  upon  the  strange  lawyer.  He  was 
an  entire  stranger,  never  having  been  seen  in 
Cedarville  before.  As  he  stood  there  in  the 
consciousness  of  intellectual  power,  he  was  not 
a-  man  easily  forgotten.  He  stood  at  least  six 


118        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

feet  high,  and  well  proportioned.  His  com 
plexion  was  dark  and  his  face  was  covered  with 
a  full,  black  beard.  His  eyes  were  jet  black, 
set  far  back  in  his  head,  and  his  hair,  which 
was  also  black,  was  thrown  back  from  his  brow, 
revealing  a  massive  forehead. 

Although  he  did  not  look  at  the  prisoner,  his 
presence  affected  Wardsworth  strangely.  He 
leaned  forward  and  bent  on  him  a  long,  earnest 
gaze,  like  one  fascinated.  Presently,  he  seemed 
to  recognize  him,  for  falling  back  on  his  seat 
he  buried  his  face  in  his  hands  and  remained 
for  a  long  time  as  if  lost  in  deep  thought. 

The  greater  part  of  the  first  day  was  spent  in 
selecting  a  jury.  The  counsel  for  the  defense 
challenged  but  few.  So  long  as  they  bore  the 
evidences  of  intelligence  and  respectability,  he 
seemed  content  to  let  them  pass.  The  state's 
attorney,  on  the  contrary,  was  evidently  deter 
mined  to  reject  every  juror  who  he  thought 
was  not  prejudiced  against  the  prisoner.  For 
this  reason  he  questioned  every  juror 
called,  and  put  every  question  allowed  by 
law.  Thus  the  first  day  was  so  nearly  con 
sumed  that  the  Judge  decided  to  adjourn  the 
court  and  commence  the  examination  of 
witnesses  in  the  morning. 

The  court  room  was  filled  the  next  morning 
even  earlier  than  the  morning  before.  At  the 
usual  hour  the  prisoner  was  again  placed  in  the 
dock  and  the  trial  commenced.  We  have  not 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  119 

space  to  give  the  report  in  full,  and  therefore 
content  ourselves  with  a  short  summary,  which 
is  all  that  is  necessary  to  our  }  nirpose. 

The  principal  witness  was  Sweeney,  the 
saloon  keeper.  He  testified  that  Wards  worth 
came  to  his  saloon  about  one  o'clock  A.M.  on 
the  night  in  question,  and  was  intoxicated  when 
he  came.  Several  others  were  there,  among 
whom  was  young  Steele.  They  drank  several 
times,  Wards  worth  paying  for  the  liquor. 
About  two  o'clock  Steele  called  for  liquor,  and 
he  and  Wardsworth,  with  one  or  two  others, 
drank.  Steele  refused  to  pay  for  it,  and,  after 
disputing  for  a  while,  Wardsworth  paid  for  it, 
but  remarked,  "Steele  is  a  mean  scoundrel,  and 
I  will  never  drikn  with  him  again."  At  that 
Steele  challenged  Wardsworth  to  fight;  which 
the  latter  refused  to  do,  and  started  for  the 
street,  saying  he  was  going  home.  By  this  time 
he  was  quite  drunk.  Steele  followed  him  and 
threatened  to  strike  htm,  saying,  "I'll  cut  your 
heart  out,"  or  words  to  that  effect,  and  made  a 
rush  at  Wardsworth,  who,  as  he  came  up,  dealt 
him  a  blow  in  the  face,  knocking  him  down. 
As  he  fell  he  struck  the  back  of  his  head  on  the 
corner  of  the  curb  stone,  and  lay  there  appar 
ently  insensible.  When  picked  up  he  was 
speechless.  Witness  also  testified  to  finding  an 
open  knife  on  the  ground  where  Steele  lay, 
which  was  recognized  as  belonging  to  deceased. 

Dr.   Edward  Garrison  testified  that  he  was 


120  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHfNE. 

called  to  see  deceased  about  three  A.  M.  Found 
him  in  a  state  of  profound  coma,  in  which  he 
continued  till  his  death,  about  five  A.  M.  Found 
blood  oozing  from  a  wound  in  the  back  of  the 
head,  about  three  inches  long.  The  occipital 
bone  was  crushed  in  and  rested  on  the  base  of 
the  brain,  which  was  ruptured,  and  was  also  ooz 
ing  out  through  the  wound.  Evidently  death  was 
caused  by  the  -wound  in  the  occiput.  Found, 
also,  a  lump,  as  from  a  blow,  on  the  left  temple. 

To  prisoner's  counsel:  A  fall  with  the  back  of 
the  head  striking  on  the  curb  stone  would  make 
such  a  wound  as  that  found  upon  deceased. 
The  blow  on  the  temple  was  evidently  not  suffi 
cient  to  cause  death. 

The  prosecution  called,  also,  a  number  of 
witnesses  to  prove  that  Wards  worth  was  of  a 
quarrelsome  disposition,  and  that  he  really  be 
gan  the  quarrel  with  Steele;  but  in  this  they 
failed.  At  this  point  the  prosecution  rested 
their  case,  and  the  counsel  for  the  prisoner 
addressed  the  court. 

"May  it  please  the  court,  there  are  two 
courses  open  forme  in  this  case,  and  I  am  in  some 
doubt  which  is  the  wiser  one  to  pursue.  To 
pursue  the  one  would  no  doubt  be  best  for  my 
client;  to  pursue  the  other,  I  have  strong  hope 
would  be  better  for  our  cause.  I  am  persuaded 
were  I  to  move  that  the  prosecution  has  failed 
to  make  out  a  case,  and  that  there  is  nothing 
to  go  to  the  jury,  you  would  rule  in  my  favor, 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.        121 

110  doubt  agreeing  with  me,  that  the  prisoner 
acted  solely  in  self-defense.  Indeed,  I  must  ex 
press  my  astonishment  that,  with  the  facts  as 
presented  before  thip  court,  there  could  be 
found  a  grand  jury  in  the  country  who  could 
be  induced  to  find  a  bill.  I  am  convinced  that 
the  prisoner  is  the  victim  of  a  foul  conspiracy, 
which  has  seized  upon  this  unfortunate  circum 
stance  to  rob  him  of  his  freedom  or  his  life. 
It  is  barely  possible  that  we  may  be  able  to 
unearth  some  of  this  conspiracy  before  we  get 
through,  and  I  will,  with  your  permission,  allow 
the  case  to  proceed,  and  accept  the  verdict  of 
the  jury." 

The  Judge  nodded  approval,  and  the  counsel 
called  as  hi  s  first  witness,  Hon.  Hezekiah  Simkins. 
"Hezekiah  Simkins!  Hezekiah  Simkins!"  shouted 
the  crier.  'He  fails  to  respond,"  answered  that 
official. 

"This  is  somewhat  strange,"  said  the  counsel. 
"We  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  summons  the 
Honorable  gentleman,  because  we  were  informed 
that  he  was  certainly  to  be  here.  In  fact,  that  he 
was  associated  with  the  state's  attorney  against 
the  prisoner.  May  I  ask  the  attorney  if  that  is 
correct?" 

"You  certainly  may  ask  it,"  he  replied,  "but 
I  am  not  certain  that  I  am  required  to 
answer." 

"Oh!  as  you  choose  about  it.  I  will  not  press 
the  question,  as  I  think  I  can  satisfy  the  jury 


122  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

of  the  correctness  of  my  statement  through 
other  means.  For  the  present  I  will  call  Solo 
mon  Slocum.  "Solomon  Slocum!  Solomon  Slo- 
cum !"  shouted  the  crier. 

"He,  too,  appears  to  be  non  0sg,"  remarked  the 
Judge. 

"May  it  please  the  court,"  replied  the  counsel, 
"I  confess  this  is  passing  strange.  I  am  in 
formed  that  both  of  those  gentlemen  have  been 
the  principal  movers  in  pressing  this  case 
against  the  prisoner.  That  Mr.  Slocum  was  the 
foreman  of  the  grand  jury  who  found  the  bill 
against  him,  and  Simkins  was  retained  to  assist 
in  the  prosecution." 

"May  I  ask  the  counsel,"  remarked  the  Judge, 
"what  he  expects  to  prove  by  those  witnesses  ? 
If  it  is  relevant,  we  can  adjourn  the  case  until 
they  can  be  summoned." 

"I  presume,"  answered  the  counsel  smiling, 
"the  relevancy  of  the  testimony  would  be  a 
question  for  your  decision.  In  answer  to  your 
question:  We  expected  to  prove  just  where  the 
prisoner  was  and  who  were  with  him  011  the 
night  of  the  killing,  previous  to  his  arrival  at 
Sweeney's  saloon.  We  proposed  to  show  what 
influences  were  used  to  get  him  in  that  condition, 
and  the  motives  for  so  doing.  In  short,  we 
proposed  to  prove  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  jury 
that  the  visit  to  Sweeney's,  the  drinking  there, 
and  the  death  of  poor  Steele,  were  but  the  con 
sequences  of  other  crimes  committed  by  other 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  123 

parties,  and  that  the  direct  responsibility  of 
this  death  passes  over  beyond  the  prisoner,  and 
rests  on  those  other  parties,  just  as  the  fall  was 
the  result  of  the  blow.  But  as  there  is  no  one 
on  trial  for  this  crime  but  the  prisoner — though 
it  is  my  firm  conviction  there  should  be, — and 
as  those  witnesses  are  not  absolutely  necessary  to 
the  perfect  vindication  of  the  prisoner,  with 
your  permission  I  will  waive  the  motion  for  an 
adjournment  and  allow  the  case  to  go  to  the 
jury,  making  my  argument  solely  on  the  testi 
mony  as  presented  by  the  prosecution." 

To  this  also  the  Judge  nodded  assent,  the 
audience,  by  their  movements,  signified  their 
approval,  and  the  jury  settled  themselves  to 
hear  the  war  of  words  between  the  two  legal 
champions. 

The  state's  attorney  opened  the  argument. 
He  began  by  stating  to  the  jury  how  painful  to 
him  was  the  duty  he  felt  called  upon  to  dis 
charge.  A  duty  so  painful  that  nothing  short 
of  the  deepest  sense  of  obligation  could  induce 
him  to  undertake  it.  The  task  was  all  the 
more  painful,  because  the  criminal  was  himself 
a  brother  of  the  law.  He  referred  to  what  the 
prisoner  once  was.  He  began  at  the  time  of 
Harry  Wardsworth's  popularity  as  a  lawyer  and 
traced  the  history  of  his  fall.  Unfortunately 
he  had  given  himself  up  to  vicious  habits. 
Lower  and  lower  he  had  fallen  in  the  scale  of 
human  degredation,  until  he  had  become 


124       THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

an  outcast  and  a  reproach  to  the  society  in 
which  he  had  once  moved;  a  companion  only 
of  the  lowest  and  vilest.  At  last  he  had 
reached  the  climax  of  his  shame  and  brutality, 
when  without  provocation,  he  had  with  one 
blow  felled  to  the  earth  an  inoffensive  young 
man  and  thereby  caused  his  death.  ''Gentlemen 
of  the  jury,"  said  he,  "the  dignity  of  violated 
law  demands  that  the  murderer  be  punished. 
Such  a  man  is  not  safe  to  run  at  large.  The  safety, 
the  well-being  of  society  demands  that  such  mon 
sters  in  human  shape  be  held  strictly  account 
able  for  their  fiendish  acts.  Let  the  law  take 
its  course;  let  society  be  protected,  even  if  it 
requires  the  law  to  rid  the  earth  of  one  who 
has  so  far  thrown  away  his  manhood  as  to  afford 
no  hope  of  his  ever  again  rising  above  the  level 
of  the  beast.  I  leave  the  case  with  you,  satis 
fied  that  the  prisoner  will  receive  justice  at  the 
hands  of  outraged  law  and  an  intelligent 
jury  of  his  countrymen."  The  attorney  closed 
his  argument,  having  occupied  one  hour  and 
forty  minutes. 

The  state's  attorney  was  one  of  the  most  suc 
cessful  pleaders  in  the  State;  and  his  address 
made  a  strong  impression,  alike  on  the  jury  and 
the  audience.  A  close  observer  could  have  seen 
that  Wardsworth  felt  his  remarks  very  keenly 
indeed. 

The  counsel  for  the  defense  arose  amidst  the 
deepest  stillness  of  the  vast  audience.  He  cast 


THEOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  125 

a  hasty  glance  over  the  assembly,  and  it  seemed 
to  thrill  them  like  an  electric  shock.  Bowing 
to  the  court,  and  then  looking  steadily  into  the 
faces  of  the  jury,  he  began  his  address.  His 
voice,  though  low,  was  so  modulated  that  it  was 
heard  distinctly  in  every  part  of  the  large  room. 

"May  it  please  the  court  and  gentlemen  of 
the  jury.  In  the  course  of  a  somewhat  ex 
tended  practice,  it  has  never  before  been  my 
lot  to  be  placed  in  a  precisely  similar  situation 
to  that  which  I  occupy  to-day.  Before  us 
stands  a  man  who  is  on  trial  for  the  terrible 
crime  of  murder.  I  stand  up  in  your  presence 
to  argue "  the  case  for  the  prisoner,  without 
calling  a  single  witness  for  the  defense.  I 
trust  that  you  will  regard  the  fact  that  I  do 
this,  as  sufficient  evidence  of  two  things.  First 
of  my  unbounded  confidence  in  the  justice  of 
our  cause;  and  second,  as  the  highest  possible 
assurance  I  can  give  you,  of  my  perfect  confi 
dence  in  the  righteousness  of  American  law. 
This  is  the  reason  why  I  have  declined  to  act  on 
the  very  kind  suggestion  of  the  court,  to  move 
for  an  adjournment  of  the  case,  but  the  rather, 
to  refer  it  directly  to  the  wisdom  and  justice  of 
an  intelligent  American  jury. 

'In  arguing  this  case,  gentlemen,  let  us  see 
wherein  the  counsel  for  the  people  and  that  for 
the  defense  agree.  We  agree  in  the  fact  that  a 
murder  has  been  committed.  Of  that  there  can 
be  no  dispute.  It  needed  not  the  evidence  of 


126  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

Sweeney,  nor  the  ghastly  story  of  the  surgeon, 
to  prove  it.  Its  proof  is  seen  in  that  silent 
mound  of  earth  that  now  rises  in  Rosebloom 
cemetery.  In  the  silence  that  alone  answers 
when  is  called  the  name  of  Francis  Steele.  In 
the  desolation  of  that  home  where  weeps  the 
broken-hearted  mother.  Ah!  yes.  we  admit  the 
fact  that  another  murder  has  been  committed, 
and  another  is  added  to  the  long  catalogue  of 
crimes  whose  very  heinousness  might  well 
cause  the  angels  to  blush  for  the  fallen  sons  of 
men.  But,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  I  deny  that 
the  guilt  of  that  crime,  the  blood  of .  the  mur 
dered  Frank  Steele,  rests  upon  the  prisoner  at 
the  bar.  It  is  but  another  added  to  the  long 
list  of  murders  committed  by  the  same  monster, 
whose  bloody  hand  has  already  robbed  Harry 
Wardsworth  of  his  home,  shorn  his  manhood  of 
its  strength,  broken  the  heart  of  his  wife  and 
made  her  a  childless  mother,  and  has  now 
placed  him  in  a  criminal's  dock  to  answer  to  a 
charge  of  murder  which  that  monster's  own 
hand  committed.  I  repeat,  gentlemen,  I  deny, 
and  that  on  the  very  evidence  offered  by  the 
prosecution,  that  the  prisoner  is  guilty  of  the 
crime  laid  to  his  charge.  The  indictment 
charges  the  prisoner  with  having  wilfully  and 
maliciously,  and  with  malice  aforethought,  taken 
the  life  of  Frank  Steele.  On  this  point  let  us 
review  the  evidence.  And  please  bear  in  mind 
gentlemen,  that  all  our  evidence  is  adverse;  we 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  127 

have  none  save  what  has  been  presented  by  the 
prosecution.  According  to  their  testimony, 
the  prisoner  came  to  Sweeney's  about  one 
o'clock,  A.  M.,  and  he  was  then  intoxicated. 
Gentlemen,  I  want  you  to  notice  this  fact.  The 
prosecution  made  no  effort  to  enlighten  you  as 
to  where  he  came  from,  or  by  what  influences 
he  had  been  surrounded.  Had  the  gentlemen, 
whose  names  I  called  been  present,  I  believe 
we  could  have  satisfied  you  on  that  point,  but, 
luckily  for  themselves  they  are  conveniently 
absent.  Could  we  but  have  the  privilege  of 
putting  them  in  the  box,  we  believe  we  could 
bring  to  light  a  conspiracy  against  Harry 
Wardsworth,  that  would  put  to  blush  the 
Arch-fiend  himself. 

The  prisoner  comes  to  Sweeney's  saloon  at 
one  o'clock,  A.  M.  and  finds  it  open  and  the  pro 
prietor  doing  business.  Why  is  that  business 
establishment  open  at  that  hour  of  the  night? 
Were  there  any  other  business  establishments 
open  at  that  hour?  Were  there  any  stores 
open,  with  the  proprietors  behind  their  counter? 
Were  there  any  of  our  mechanics'  shops,  our 
blacksmiths,  our  coopers,  our  shoe  or  wagon- 
makers  in  their  shops  at  that  hour?  No! 
gentlemen.  Persons  engaged  in  a  respectable 
calling  had  long  since  closed  their  places  of 
business  and  were  wrapped  in  the  slumbers  of 
honest  men.  It  was  the  hour  and  the  business  of 
darkness.  The  prisoner  comes  to  the  saloon  and 


128       THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

finds  others  there  drinking.  He  was  already 
intoxicated,  but  this  particular  business  estab 
lishment  was  open  and  the  proprietor  behind 
his  bar  ready  to  wait  upon  his  customers.  His 
wares  were  temptingly  arranged  upon  his  shelves 
and  hanging  upon  the  wall,  was  the  regular 
legal  authority  by  which  he  did  his  business. 
The  demon  that  was  within  Wardswortlrs 
breast,  the  appetite  that  had  been  created  by 
authority  of  law,  craved  for  more  drink.  As  I 
said,  hanging  there  on  the  wall  of  Sweeney's 
saloon,  was  the  printed  document,  bearing  the 
seal  of  authority,  which  bore  testimony  to  the 
fact  that  on  the  payment  of  one  thousand  dol 
lars,  he  was  duly  and  legally  authorized  to  sell 
that  which  the  prisoner  craved.  The  demand 
for  the  commodity  was  therefore  a  legal  demand; 
a  demand  created  by  the  authority  of  law.  The 
sale  which  Sweeney  made  to  supply  that  demand 
was  a  legal  sale,  a  sale  made  by  the  authority 
of  law.  The  purchase  which  the  prisoner  made 
was  a  legal  purchase.  The  result  of  that  legal 
purchase  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  legal  sale  on 
the  other  to  supply  a  legally  created  demand, 
was  that  the  prisoner  became  so  much  intoxi 
cated — legally  intoxicated,  mind  you,  intoxicated 
according  to  law — that  he  became  unconcious 
of  his  acts,  and  was  therefore  not  responsible. 
Up  to  this  point  then,  every  step  that  we  have 
traced,  as  presented  by  the  prosecution  has 
been  legal,  and  Harry  Wardsworth  is  in  a  state 


THROUGH  SHADOW   TO    SUNSHINE.  129 

or  irresponsibility,  made  so  by  the  authority  of 
law. 

"We  will  now  proceed  another  step.  In  this 
condition  Steele  asked  him  to  drink  yet  once 
again.  Again  there  was  a  legal  sale  on  the  one 
hand  and  a  legal  purchase  on  the  other.  And 
right  here  gentlemen,  we  have  the  evidence  that 
stamps  as  unjust  and  untrue  the  statement  of 
the  counsel  for  the  prosecution,  that  the  pris 
oner  had  thrown  away  his  manhood.  For  this 
liquor,  purchased  by  Steele,  not  by  Wardsworth, 
the  former  refused  to  pay.  Now,  what  did  the 
prisoner  do  ?  Did  he,  too,  refuse,  as  he  might 
have  done  ?  No.  On  the  contrary,  he  paid  for 
it  himself,  merely  remarking  that  Steele  was  a 
mean  scoundrel,  and  he  would  have  nothing 
more  to  do  with  him,  a  remark  that  was  cer 
tainly  justified  by  the  facts.  Does  this  justify 
the  counsel's  statement  that  the  prisoner  had 
thrown  away  his  manhood  ?  No,  gentlemen. 
Had  the  counsel'  been  half  as  anxious  to  deal 
out  simple  and  impartial  justice,  as  to  convict 
the  prisoner,  he  himself  would  have  seen  the 
evidence  that  contradicts  his  statement.  Even 
in  his  besotted  condition,  his  God-given  manhood 
rose  superior  to  the  degradation  and  asserted 
its  dignity.  We  admit  that  a  moral  crime, 
sanctioned  by  law,  had  robbed  his  manhood  of 
its  strength,  but  the  manhood  itself  was  not 
lost  then,  and  is  not  lost  now,  and  it  depends 
upon  you,  gentlemen,  whether  or  not  the  pris- 


130        THEOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

oner,  by  a  life  of  earnest,  noble  effort,  shall 
have  the  privilege  of  contradicting  the  slander 
of  the  counsel,  that  Harry  Wards  worth  has 
thrown  away  his  manhood. 

"The  next  step  is,  the  prisoner  is  challenged 
by  the  deceased  to  fight.  Did  the  prisoner  ac 
cept  the  challenge  ?  Bid  he  manifest  the  least 
evidence  of  a  quarrelsome  disposition  ?  No. 
Not  one  tittle  of  evidence  has  been  produced 
by  the  prosecution  to  prove  that  Harry  Wards- 
worth  ever  began  a  quarrel  in  his  life.  On  the 
contrary,  he  started  immediately  for  his  home. 
Would  to  God,  gentlemen,  that  he  had  not  left 
it  on  that  fatal  night.  Would  that  the  smiles 
and  songs  of  his  wife,  the  childish  prattle  of 
his  now  dead  boy,  had  possessed  sufficient 
power  to  break  the  chain,  that  a  cruel,  design 
ing  foe  had  thrown  around  him. 

"The  deceased  followed  him  into  the  street, 
and  there,  drawing  a  knife,  threatened  his  life. 
Then  it  was  that  the  fatal  blow  was  struck. 
Another  evidence  that  the  prisoner  had  not 
thrown  away  his  manhood.  The  same  inherent 
manhood  that  prompted  him  to  pay  for  the 
liquor  that  he  had  not  ordered,  prevented  him 
from  running  away,  like  a  coward  from  the  man, 
who  in  his  drunken  frenzy  would  rob  him  of  his 
life.  In  pure  self-defense,  without  any  malice 
toward,  or  any  desire  to  do  bodily  harm  to  the 
deceased,  he  struck  the  blow  which  felled  him 
to  the  earth,  where,  striking  on  the  corner  of 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  131 

the  curb-stone  he  received  the  wound  which 
caused  his  death. 

"Here  then,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  is  the 
ground  on  which  we  base  our  plea  of  not 
guilty.  It  was  an  act  of  self-defense,  warranted 
alike  by  every  principle  of  manhood,  and  the 
laws  of  our  country.  The  prisoner  did  just  what 
you  or  I  would  have  done  were  we  perfectly  sober. 
The  only  difference  there  is,  he  did  it  as  an  act 
of  instinct,  himself  being  unconscious  and  not 
responsible,  we  would  have  done  it  as  an  act  of 
reason  and  have  held  ourselves  ready  to  answer 
for  the  responsibility.  Hence,  gentlemen,  you 
cannot  find  a  particle  of  authority  in  the  law, 
nor  justification  in  your  own  consciences  for  the 
conviction  of  the  prisoner  of  the  crime  of 
murder. 

"Here,  may  it  please  the  court  and  gentlemen 
of  the  jury,  we  might,  with  the  most  perfect 
confidence,  rest  our  case,  certain  of  the  acquittal 
of  the  prisoner;  but  we  have  not  yet  accom 
plished  all  that  we  have  desired.  We  have 
admitted  that  a  murder  has  been  committed, 
but  we  believe  we  have  satisfied  you,  that  for 
that  murder  the  prisoner  at  the  bar  is  not 
guilty. 

"The  question  then  arises,  who  is  guilty?  In 
a  legal  sense  we  are  not  bound  to  answer  that 
question,  but  I  trust  the  court  will  give  us  a 
little  latitude.  On  whose  skirts  shall  we  look 
for  the  blood  of  poor,  murdered  Frank  Steele? 


132        THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

Nay,  more  than  this.  We  not  only  admit  the 
murder  of  Steele,  but  we  say  there  have  been 
two  murders.  In  that  same  cemetery  are  two 
new  made  graves.  The  one  is  that  of  the 
deceased,  Steele;  the  other  is  a  shorter  grave, 
and  holds  the  dead  form  of  the  prisoner's  boy. 
It  is  that  of  his  only  child.  The  dear,  darling- 
boy;  the  one  tie  that  bound  the  parents  yet  to 
life  and  hope.  We  charge  the  murder  of  these 
two  victims  upon  the  legalized  liquor  traffic 
of  the  country.  We  charge  it  with  robbing  the 
prisoner  of  his  home.  We  charge  it  with  rob 
bing  his  manhood  of  its  strength.  We  charge 
it  with  the  living  torture  and  slow,  cruel  mur 
der  of  his  wife.  We  arraign  it  before  a  right 
eous  God,  and  charge  it  with  being  the  arch 
fiend  of  murder.  We  point  to  seventy  thousand 
dishonored  graves,  all  made  in  the  last  year, 
and  charge  it  with  first  the  degradation,  and 
then  the  murder  of  every  occupant  of  those 
graves.  We  point  to  seventy  thousand  more 
victims  and  say,  before  the  end  of  the  year  it 
will  have  murdered  all  these.  We  point  to 
seventy  thousand  homes  now  wearing  the  hab 
iliments  of  a  great  sorrow,  and  charge  it  with 
having  sound  its  slimy  folds  within  the  sacred 
precincts  of  those  homes,  and  laid  its  murder 
ous  hand  upon  some  of  its  loved  inmates.  We 
arraign  the  legalized  liquor  traffic  before  the 
bar  of  consistency  and  demand  its  condemna 
tion  by  every  principle  of  moral  right  and 


THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  133 

common  intelligence.  We  bring  as  our  witnesses, 
first,  tlie  statutes  themselves.  What  say  they? 
They  testify  that  the  liquor  traffic  is  a  legal, 
lawful  business.  That  it  is  recognized  as  such 
by  every  statute  for  its  regulation  and  protec 
tion.  Here  is  a  man  authorized  by  law  to  sell  a 
certain  article.  When  the  customer  buys  it,  he 
makes  a  legal  purchase;  as  much  so  as  though  it 
were,instead  of  the  slow,  deadly  poison  it  is,  a  sack 
of  flour,  or  a  barrel  of  beef.  Moreover,  he  buys 
that  liquor  to  drink.  The  law  expects  him  to 
drink  it.  The  man  who  sells  it  is  authorized  to 
sell  it  for  that  very  purpose.  The  man  drinks 
it  and  it  makes  him  a  maniac.  It  robs  him  of 
his  reason  and  destroys  his  responsibility  as  a 
citizen.  In  this  condition,  a  condition  made 
such  by  law,  he  commits  a  crime;  a  crime  of 
which  he  is  no  more  conscious  than  the  maniac 
in  an  asylum,  and  then  the  law  takes  him  and 
hangs  him,  or  sends  him  to  prison  for  life, 
which  is  equally  as  bad,  if  not  worse. 

Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  do  I  put  this  too 
strongly  ?  Let  the  case  of  poor  Cook  be  the 
answer.  You  all  knew  that  man.  He  lived  in 
your  midst ;  he  was  your  neighbor  ;  known  and 
respected  until  his  manhood  was  lost  through 
the  influence  of  the  legalized  liquor  traffic. 
First,  it  robbed  him  of  his  eyesight,  and  he  be 
came  so  nearly  blind  that  he  could  not  work. 
You  all  knew  his  disposition.  When  sober,  he 
was  a  lamb,  but  when  drunk,  he  was  a  demon. 


134        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

When  sober,  there  could  be  no  more  loving  hus 
band,  no  kinder  father.  When  himself,  he  was 
as  innocent  and  harmless  as  a  child.  The 
liquor  traffic  was  his  sworn  and  bitter  enemy. 
It  had  already  robbed  him  of  every 
thing  but  life  itself.  Now,  what  ought  the 
law  to  have  said  and  done  in  that  case  ?  It 
should  have  thrown  around  that  poor  man  the 
shield  of  its  protection.  It  should  have  risen  up 
in  the  dignity  of  its  might  and  said,  I  will  pro 
tect  this  man  from  the  further  attacks  of  his 
most  deadly  foe.  But  did  it  do  that  ?  No,  gen 
tlemen.  Instead  of  this,  it  joined  hands  with 
the  man's  enemy.  He  came  one  day  to  the  city, 
and  what  did  he  find  ?  He  found  over  twenty 
business  houses,  in  every  one  of  which  there 
hung  a  printed  certificate  bearing  the  official 
seal,  stating  that  the  keeper  thereof  was  duly 
authorized  by  law  to  sell  him  that  very  thing 
that  had  already  proved  his  ruin.  Authorized 
by  law,  there  was  a  bargain  and  sale.  He  made 
a  legal  purchase  and  the  business  man  made  a 
legal  sale,  as  he  was  legally  authorized  to  do. 
True,  the  supporters  of  this  foulest  blot  upon 
the  fair  fame  of  our  beautiful  and  beloved 
country,  stand  ready  to  question  this  statement, 
and  to  answer — "Does  not  the  law  provide  that 
the  saloon  keeper  shall  not  sell  to  an  habitual 
drunkard?"  Admitted — but  does  it  not  con 
tinue  to  issue  its  legal  authority  to  sell  this 
liquid  death,  just  as  it  has  done  for  a  hundred 


THIIOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  135 

years,  well  knowing  that  their  only  customers 
are  those  who  are  more  or  less  drunkards? 
That  if  they  do  not  sell  to  that  class, 
every  last  man  of  them  must  either  starve,  or 
be  driven  to  some  decent  employment?  You  re 
member  when  Mrs.  Mr  Donal,alady  of  refinement 
and  culture,  went  to  those  same  twenty  saloon 
keepers,  and  on  her  knees  *  implored  them  not 
to  sell  liquor  to  her  husband,  who  was  a  drunk 
ard,  nineteen  out  of  the  twenty,  pointed  to  their 
license  as  their  authority  and  answered,  that 
they  paid  for  the  privilege,  and  that  was  the 
way  they  made  their  living.  The  statement, 
therefore,  that  the  law,  in  this  respect,  protects 
the  drunkard,  is  the  basest  of  falsehoods. 

Cook  drank  the  liquor  and  it  robbed  him  of 
his  reason.  He  became  a  maniac;  as  much  so 
as  any  member  of  an  insane  asylum  in  the  land, 
and  no  more  responsible  for  his  acts  than  they. 
He  went  home.  His  wife  came  to  meet  him  at 
the  gate.  Like  most  other  insane  people,  he 
imagined  his  best  friend  to  be  his  worst  enemy. 

Seizing  a  sled  stake  he  struck  his  w^ife  a  blow 
which  felled  her  to  the  earth  and  laid  her  dead 
at  his  feet.  The  wife  of  his  youth  lay  dead, 
and  he  knew  nothing  of  it  till  he  came  to  him 
self  the  next  day  in  the  jail.  Here,  then,  was 
one  murder  committed  by  the  traffic  which 

*This  lady,  and  the  incident  referred  to,  were  alike 
known  to  the  author. 


136       THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

the  law  sanctioned  and  protected.  Then 
what  did  the  law  do?  Was  it  satisfied,  now 
that  one  victim  was  legally  murdered?  No.  On 
the  contrary,  side  by  side  with  the  law  that  au 
thorized  this  legal  purchase  and  sale,  which  re 
sulted  in  the  murder  of  Mrs.  Cook,  appeared 
.another  law,  and  again  we  find  the  statutes 
joining  hands  against  the  poor  victim  of  the 
rum  traffic.  Now  comes  this  second  law,  and 
grasping  the  poor  maniac  by  the  throat,  it  said: 
"You  are  a  murderer  and  you  must  die."  It  robes 
itself  in  its  judicial  vestments,  and  taking  its 
seat  on  the  bench  of  justice,  goes  through  the 
form  of  trial.  It  pronounces  the  victim  guilty, 
with  the  sentence  that  on  a  certain  day  he  shall 
be  taken  to  the  place  of  execution  and  hung 
by  the  neck  until  he  is  dead,  and  may  God 
have  mercy  on  his  soul !  Oh  !  solemn  mockery! 
Not  satisfied  with  one  legalized  murder,  the  law 
must  have  two.  The  day  cf  execution  arrives. 
The  gallows  is  erected.  The  victim  is  placed  upon 
it,  and  the  last  words  he  uttered  on  earth  were  his 
dying  protest  that  he  had  not  the  slightest 
knowledge  or  remembrance  of  what  he  had 
done  from  the  time  he  left  the  city  till  he  found 
himself  in  jail  the  next  day.  Still  that  makes 
no  difference  in  the  estimation  of  the  law.  The 
word  is  given,  the  bolt  is  withdrawn,  the  drop 
falls  and  Cook's  body  rolls  one  way  and  his  head 
another.  The  dignity  of  the  law  is  satisfied, 
but  instead  of  one,  two  more  murders  are 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  137 

registered  in  Heaven's  court  against  the  legal 
ized  liquor  traffic.* 

"Here,  then,  is  a  case,  and  hundreds  more 
might  be  cited,  illustrating  the  inconsistency, 
yea,  the  heinousiiessof  the  liquor  traffic,  and  the 
laws  regulating  the  same.  To  that  already  long 
list  of  murders  have  now  been  added  those  of 
Frank  Steele  and  poor  little  innocent  Harry 
Wardsworth.  For  ask  Dr.  Thornton,  and  he 
will  tell  you  that  the  death  of  that  boy  was  the 
result  of  a  cold,  caused  by  moving  into  the  cot 
tage  so  soon  /kfter  repairing  and  plastering. 
Who  robbed  them  of  the  beautiful  home  they  had, 
and  made  moving  necessary?  I  need  not  answer 
the  question,  for  the  facts  are  too  painfully  evi 
dent  before  you.  And  are  not  two  deaths 
enough?  Must  there  be  added  still  a  third? 
The  answer  to  these  questions  will  be  given  by 
the  verdict  you  will  this  day  render. 

"Gentlemen  of  the  jury,  I  have  done.  In  clos 
ing  permit  me  to  remind  you  that  you  occupy 
tliose  seats  as  the  representatives,  the  agents  of 
the  law.  The  law  in  this  case  can  act  only 
through  you.  It  pronounces  its  utterances 
through  your  lips.  If  it  condemns  the  prisoner 
and  confines  him  to  a  felon's  cell  or  a  dishonored 
grave,  making  him  another  victim,  it  is  only  be 
cause  you  say  it  shall  so  be  ordered.  If  it  says  to 

•*The  above  is  given  just  as  it  occurred,  without  chang 
ing  the  name. 


138  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

this  victim,  'Thus  far  shall  thine  enemy  come, 
but  no  farther,'  if  it  utters  the  language  of  mercy 
and  says,  'Go  and  henceforth  show  how  noble  is 
the  manhood  I  have  saved,'  if  it  turns  to  that 
heart  broken  wife  and  says,  'Here,  I  give  you 
back  the  husband  I  have  rescued,'  it  will  be  be 
cause  mercy,  and  wisdom,  and  justice  dwelt  in 
the  heart  of  the  twelve  men  who  sat  as  its  rep 
resentatives.  Can  you  look  into  the  face  of  the 
prisoner  at  the  bar,  on  whose  hands  and  in 
whose  heart  there  is  found  no  stain  of  blood,  and 
say,  'You  are  a  murderer?'  Can  you  look  into 
the  face  of  that  pale,  heart-broken,  childless 
mother  and  say,  'Your  husband  is  a  murderer?' 
Can  you  stand  beside  the  grave  of  that  darling 
boy,  and  looking  down  upon  that  silent  mound, 
say,  'Here  lies  the  child  of  a  murderer?'  Can 
you  hold  in  your  hands  that  most  sacred  of  all 
sacred  trusts,  committed  to  you  as  citizens,  the 
ballot  of  an  American  voter,  know  ing  that  there 
rests  upon  you  a  common  responsibility,  as  those 
who  stand  behind  our  laws  and  give  them 
force  and  power,  and  yet  as  the  representatives 
of  those  laws,  say  Harry  Wardsworth  is  a  mur 
derer?  No,  gentlemen,  I  have  no  such  fear.  I 
have  endeavored  to  do  my  duty,  not  only  to  my 
client,  but  to  my  country  as  well,  and  now  leave 
the  fate  of  the  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  an  en 
lightened  jury  of  his  countrymen." 

The  counsel  sat  down  amidst  breathless  silence, 
having  held  the  audience,  ns  if  spell-bound,  for 


THEOUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  189 

over  two  hours.  The  state's  attorney  waived 
his  right  to  sum  up,  pref ering  to  let  the  case  go 
to  the  jury. 

The  Judge  charged  the  jury,  dwelling  at 
length  on  the  aggressive  attitude  of  the  deceas 
ed,  and  somewhat  strongly  justifying  the  plea 
of  self -defense.  After  reviewing  the  evidence 
he  closed  as  follows: 

"There  can  be  no  question,  gentlemen,  as  to 
the  truth  of  all  that  has  been  advanced  by  the 
prisoner's  counsel.  Indeed  the  half  has  not  yet 
been,  and  never  will  be  told.  I  have  never  yet 
sat  through  a  term  of  court  that  I  have  not  felt 
myself  humiliated,  as  I  have  been  called  to 
administer  the  penalty  of  the  law  for  the  very 
crimes  which  are  the  legitimate  fruits  of  itself.* 
There  are  on  our  statute  books  to-day,  no  laws 
so  inconsistent,  so  cruel,  as  the  laws  that  regu 
late  and  uphold  the  liquor  traffic.  There  is  no 
source  of  crime  more  bountiful.  There  is  no 
such  swift  road  to  poverty.  It  is  filling  our 
poor  houses  with  paupers,  our  prisons  with 
criminals,  our  asylums  with  insane.  It  is  filling 
our  cemeteries  with  the  graves  of  its  murdered 
dead.  What  the  terrible  end  will  be,  unless 
the  people  recognize  the  evil  and  meet  it,  where 
it  can  only  be  successfully  met,  at  the  ballot- 
box,  I  dare  not  anticipate. 

"I  shall  not  detain  you  further,   gentlemen, 

*Thc  precise  words  of  the  learned  Judge  Wilson  in  1868. 


140  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

but  allow  you  to  retire  and  consider  your  ver 
dict." 

The  jury  retired,  and  though  it  was  10  o'clock 
p.  M.,  not  a  person  left  the  court  room.  It  was 
evident  to  all  that  they  would  be  but  a  short 
time  making  up  their  verdict.  The  Judge  re 
mained  on  the  bench  and  the  counsel  retained 
their  seats  at  the  table.  The  prisoner  sat  up 
right,  apparently  unmoved,  but  a  close  observer 
could  have  detected  evidences  of  deep,  but 
suppressed  emotion.  His  wife  sat  just  where 
she  had  done  all  through  the  trial,  with  Mrs. 
Sherwood  on  one  side  and  Mrs.  Thornton  on 
the  other.  During  the  whole  course  of  the 
trial  she  had  not  wept,  save  when  the  counsel 
had  referred  to  the  death  of  her  boy.  She  had 
already  drained  the  bitter  cup  to  the  very 
dregs,  and  would  no  longer  shrink,  whatever 
might  betide. 

Fifteen,  twenty  minutes — a  half  hour  passed, 
and  yet  the  jury  tarried.  Scarcely  a  sound  was 
heard,  and  the  silence  became  painfully  op 
pressive.  Presently  the  door  was  opened,  and 
the  word  was  passed,  "Make  way  for  the  jury;" 
and  the  twelve  representatives  of  the  law  filed 
in  and  took  their  seats  on  the  jurors'  chairs. 

"Gentlemen  of  the  jury,"  said  the  clerk, 
"have  you  agreed  upon  your  verdict?" 

"We  have,"  answered  the  foreman. 

"What  say  you,  gentlemen  of  the  jury?  Is 
the  prisoner  at  the  bar  guilty  or  not  guilty?" 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  141 

Clear  and  distinct  was  heard  the  answer  in 
every  part  of  the  room,  "NoT  GUILTY." 

Instantly,  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  prevent 
it,  there  was  a  scene  of  wild  confusion.  The 
clapping  of  hands,  the  waving  of  handkerchiefs, 
and  even  hearty  cheers  were  heard  and  seen  all 
through  the  court  room.  It  was  some  minutes 
before  order  could  be  restored.  During  the  ex 
citement  the  prisoner's  counsel  sat  with  his 
face  buried  in  his  hands.  When  order  was  re 
stored,  and  he  arose  in  his  place  at  the  table,  it 
was  noticed  that  his  face  was  as  pale  as  that  of 
the  dead. 

"May  it  please  the  court,"  he  said,  in  a  voice 
tremulous  with  the  deepest  emotion,  "I  move 
for  the  release  of  the  prisoner." 

"The  sheriff  will  release  the  prisoner,"  said 
the  Judge;  and  Harry  Wardsworth  walked 
forth  a  free  man. 

Mrs.  Wardsworth  was  the  first  to  meet  him 
as  he  stepped  down  from  the  dock.  She  did 
not  faint  or  go  into  ecstacies;  but,  drawing  his 
head  down,  she  pressed  on  his  cheek  a  kiss 
that  told  alike  the  devotion  and  joy  of  her 
heart.  Presently,  releasing  himself  from  the 
embrace  of  his  wife,  Wardsworth  hastened  to 
where  his  counsel  was  standing  watching  the 
scene,  and  throwing  his  arms  around  him,  he 
leaned  his  head  on  his  shoulder  and  wept  tears 
of  penitence  and  gratitude.  Thus  did  he  meet 
his  old  friend  and  classmate,  Harry  Ferguson. 


142  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

Friends  now  crowded  around  him,  and  for  a 
time  he  was  almost  overwhelmed  with  the  con 
gratulations  of.  those  who  had  so  long  borne 
the  burden  of  anxiety. 

We  will  not  dwell  on  the  going  home.  How 
Sherwood  and  Thornton,  with  their  wives,  and 
Ferguson,  made  up  a  party  that  lasted  till  be 
yond  the  wee  small  hours.  How  the  wife  stole 
away  to  her  little  sanctuary,  with  a  heart  over 
flowing  with  gratitude,  to  lay  her  thank  offering 
on  the  altar  of  her  God.  How  the  two  lawyers 
sat  and  talked,  reviewing  their  old  acquaintance; 
Ferguson  explaining  how  he  came  to  hear  of  the 
case,  and  volunteer  for  the  defense.  It  was  a  scene 
never  forgotten  in  the  lives  of  the  two  lawyers. 

The  early  morning  train  was  to  bear  Ferguson 
back  to  his  home  ;  and  when  he  and  Wards- 
worth  reached  the  depot  they  found  a  number 
of  the  latter's  friends  awaiting  them,  among 
whom  were  Sherwood  and  Thornton.  The  for 
mer  calling  Ferguson  aside  asked  for  his  bill, 
adding,  uDon't  hesitate  to  name  your  price,  we 
have  the  money  for  you." 

"Simply  my  expenses,"  replied  the,  lawyer, 
the  balance  you  can  place  to  the  credit  of  my 
vow,  to  strike  the  liquor  traffic  a  blow  whenever 
I  have  an  opportunity." 

The  train  at  this  moment  drew  in,  the  hands 
of  friendship  were  again  grasped,  and  Harry 
Ferguson  was  away,  bearing  with  him  the  grati 
tude  of  happy  hearts. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  MORNING  DAWNETH. 

The  trial  of  Wardswortli  had  one  very  bene 
ficial  effect.  It  aroused  the  temperance  element 
in  the  community  as  it  had  never  been  aroused 
before.  The  public  mind  had  received  new 
light  on  the  qeustion.  of  the  liquor  traffic. 
The  address  of  Ferguson  and  of  the  Judge, 
at  the  trial,  had  opened  their  eyes  to  the 
glaring  inconsistencies  of  the  laws  regulating 
the  sale  of  that  which  produced  such  dread  re 
sults. 

The  individual  responsibility  of  the  voter 
never  had  been  presented  as  the  counsel  pre 
sented  it,  and  nov^r  had  so  deeply  impressed 
them.  The  people  not  only  comprehended  the 
truth,  but  felt  its  power.  The  result  was,  men 
of  all  shades  of  belief,  both  political  and  relig 
ious,  came  together  and  resolved  that  all  other 
questions  should  be  considered  secondary  to  the 
one  great  question  of  saving  the  people  from  its 
degrading  and  destroying  influences.  The  va 
rious  existing  temperance  organizations  received 
fresh  impetus  and  all  worked  together  for  one 
common  purpose.  The  ladies  met  and  organi zed 
themselves  into  a  Women's  Christian  Temper- 
Union,  which  speedily  became  a  power  for 


144  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

good.  The  ministers  of  the  various  churches 
arranged  to  preach  a  series  of  sermons  against 
the  evil.  A  column  was  secured  in  each  of  the 
city  papers,  to  be  devoted  exclusively  to  tem 
perance  agitation.  A  course  of  lectures  was  pro 
vided  for  and  the  ablest  speakers  possible  secur 
ed  to  deliver  them. 

The  whisky  men  saw  the  storm  gathering 
and  at  once  set  themselves  to  avert  it.  As 
usual,  the  first  thing  they  did  was  to  call  a  con 
vention.  Sweeping  resolutions  were  passed,  de 
nouncing  the  tyranny  and  fanaticism  of  the 
temperance  party.  They  pledged  themselves, 
their  time  and  money  to  the  task  of  defeating 
the  temperance  work  in  every  shape  and  form. 
Religion  did  not  trouble  them,  for  generally, 
they  had  none;  but  their  political  opinions  were 
by  solemn  resolution  laid  completely  aside  for 
the  time  being,  until  this  great  temperance 
fight  was  finished,  No  political  candidate  for 
any  office,  it  was  resolved,  should  have  their 
vote  unless  his  sympathies  were  with  their  in 
terests  and  he  would  pledge  himself  to  vote  in 
their  favor.  Thus  the  fight  went  on,  with  each 
succeeding  week  growing  more  and  more  de 
termined.  Never  was  a  there  a  more  deadly 
struggle,  never  did  right  and  wrong,  good  and 
evil,  meet  in  more  terrible  strife.  Which  shall 
triumph? 

Three  months  had  now  passed,  and  during 
this  time  Wardsworth  had  remained  perfectly 


THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  145 

sober.  His  condition,  however,  gave  the  great 
est  apprehension.  He  seemed  to  have  lost 
almost  all  his  interest  in  life.  The  dormant 
energies  of  his  mind  seemed  to  defy  every  effort 
to  arouse  them.  His  ambition  was  gone,  his 
spirit  broken.  For  hours  he  would  sit  looking 
apparently  at  nothing,  or  wander  aimlessly 
from  room  to  room,  when  at  home,  and  when 
absent  therefrom  appeared  as  if  in  constant  fear. 
His  health,  too,  had  become  very  much  impaired. 
The  long  season  of  confinement,  the  severe 
mental  struggle  through  which  he  had  passed, 
the  terrible  grief  over  the  loss  of  his  child,  all 
combined  had  told  heavily  on  his  constitution 
and  robbed  him  of  his  vitality.  A  sort  of  settled 
melancholy  fastened  itself  upon  him  that  caused 
his  friends,  sometimes,  to  fear  the  direst  conse 
quences. 

Still,  they  never  for  a  moment  forsook  him; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  the  greater  the  cause  for 
alarm,  the  more  resolutely  they  labored.  They 
sought  business  for  him,  but  he  performed  his 
duties  only  in  a  mechanical  sort  of  way,  and 
often  made  mistakes,  showing  plainly  that  his 
heart  was  not  in  his  work.  Once  when  Sher 
wood,  thinking  to  rally  him,  said  pleasantly, 
"Wardsworth.  what  has  become  of  your 
thoughts?"  he  rebuked  him  by  answering,  sadly, 
"They  are  with  my  hopes,  in  the  grave  of  my 
dead  boy." 

The  mental  strain  upon  his  wife  was  terrible 


146  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

in  the  extreme.  She  lived  continually  in  a  state 
of  mingled  hope  and  fear.  Her  cheeks  grew 
paler  and  her  step  more  languid.  Still,  by 
constant  watchfulness,  she  was  able  always  to 
meet  him  with  the  same  sweet  smile,  appearing 
always  cheerful,  even  though  her  heart  was 
filled  with  sadness.  There  was  with  her  now 
but  one  thought,  and  that  was  the  complete  re 
claiming  of  her  husband.  For  this  she  labored 
and  prayed  with  an  earnestness  that,  it  seemed, 
must  prevail.  Her  home  was  made  just  as 
pleasant  as  it  was  possible  to  make  it.  She 
studied  her  husband's  every  wish,  anticipated 
his  every  want,  adapted  herself  to  his  various 
moods,  and  in  every  way  possible,  strove  to  lead 
him  out  of  himself  and  into  a  more  healthy 
mental  atmosphere. 

One  fact  gave  her  hope.  He  evidently  rec 
ognized  himself  as  being  safer  in  her  presence 
and  influence.  He  clung  to  her  like  a  timid 
child.  Whenever  called  out,  he  w^ould  go  with 
her  to  the  gate,  and  be  there  to  meet  her  when 
she  returned.  Sherwood  had  fitted  him  up  an 
office,  and  he  would  invite  his  wife  to  walk  to  it 
with  him,  and  come  to  walk  home  with  him. 
She  looked  upon  this  as  evidence  that  he  real 
ized  his  weakness  and  was  determined  to  con 
tinue  the  struggle,  and  was  so  far  encouraged. 
But  his  pride,  his  nobility  was  gone.  Ambition 
seemed  dead.  Could  she  but  see  those  reassert 
themselves,  could  she  but  lift  from  him  that 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  147 

dark  shadow,  which  like  a  funeral  pall,  hung 
over  him,  she  would  have  strong  hope;  but  as 
day  after  day,  and  week  after  week  passed ,  and  no 
change,  hope  began  to  die  out  in  her  heart  and 
despair  to  take  its  place.  The  time  was  pass 
ing;  most  of  the  lectures,  from  which  she  had 
hoped  so  much,  had  been  given.  At  first  he 
had  accompanied  her  to  those  meetings,  but 
latterly  had  preferred  to  remain  at  home.  She 
had  attended  whenever  he  had  appeared  per 
fectly  willing  for  her  to  go.  Especially  had 
she  made  it  a  point  to  attend  the  meetings  of 
the  Women's  Christian  Society.  Here  her  own 
over  burdened  heart  had  found  relief  in  sympa 
thy  and  prayer.  Often,  as  she  listened  to  the 
prayers  of  those  earnest  Christian  women,  and 
knew  that  their  prayers  and  their  efforts  went 
hand  in  hand,  she  felt  her  faith  encouraged 
and  resolved  never  to  give  up  the  struggle. 

About  this  time  Wardsworth  received  a 
letter  from  his  friend  and  late  counsel,  Fer 
guson.  It  was  as  follows: 

Ll  ,  ,  lo         . 

"Mr  DEAR  WARDSWORTH: — When  last  I  saw 
you  at Cedarville,  you  requested  me  to  write  you 
giving  you  some  of  my  experience  relative  to 
my  recovery  from  the  vice  and  habit  of  intem 
perance.  I  am  most  thankful  to  comply  with 
your  request  because  of  the  old,  tried  friend 
ship  that  existed  between  us  in  those  happy 


148  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

college  days  at  old  Yale,  and  because  I  most 
earnestly  desire  that  you,  too,  my  dear  friend, 
may  be  able  to  rise  up  and  reassume  the  proud 
position,  which  by  nature  and  education  you 
are  so  well  calculated  to  fill. 

"Do  you  remember,  Wardsworth,  those  old 
days  when  we  used  to  sit  in  the  corner  room,, 
at  our  old  boarding  place,  and  build  castles  in 
the  air  ?  When  all  the  bright  and  happy  fu 
ture  of  our  manhood,  seemed  to  be  beckoning 
us  on,  like  some  beautiful  pathway,  radiant 
with  the  flowers  of  spring.  You  remember 
what  high  hopes  we  then  had  ?  How  bright 
the  future  active,  useful  life  seemed  to  appear. 
And  yet  when  I  think  of  how  near  I  came  to 
being  wrecked  and  all  those  bright  hopes  for 
ever  blasted,  my  heart  goes  up  in  devout  grati 
tude  to  him  who  in  his  infinite  mercy,  listened 
to  my  deep  imploring  cry  for  help,  and  stretched 
out  his  mighty  hand  to  save. 

"I  am  convinced,  Wardsworth,  that  happy 
and  full  of  hope  as  were  those  days,  it  was 
there  that  we  made  our  saddest  mistake.  It 
was  there  that  we  laid  the  foundation  of  all 
the  deep,  sore  trouble  which  our  later  manhood 
has  brought  us.  You  remember  how  we  used 
to  laugh  at  what  we  were  disposed  to  call  the 
Aveakness  of  those  students  who  absolutely  re 
fused  to  taste  wine.  I  used  to  think  and  I  have 
no  doubt  you  did,  that  it  indicated  a  sense  of 
weakness,  a  want  of  self  control  on  their  part. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  149 

That  they  were  afraid  to  trust  themselves,  lest 
they  should  be  overcome  with  wine.  I  used, 
from  my  heart,  to  pity  them;  but  oh!  all  too 
sadly  have  I  learned  that  they  were  right  and  I 
was  wrong.  While  I  devoutly  thank  (rod  that 
I  have  been  reclaimed,  and  now  feel  my  feet 
firmly  planted  on  the  Rock  of  Ages,  I  cannot 
forget  the  dark  way  along  which  I  have  travel 
ed,  nor  put  away  the  scars  I  have  received  in 
my  terrible  struggle  with  the  deadly  foe  I  then 
received  as  a  friend. 

"You  remember  there  was  a  band  of  total 
abstainers,  as  they  called  themselves,  in  the 
college.  Well,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  there  is 
not  one  of  those  but  now  occupies  a  position  of 
proud  eminence,  while  of  all  those  who  there 
learned  to  'look  tipon  the  wine  when  it  is  red,' 
scarcely  one  but  what  has  been  stranded  upon 
.the  dark  rocks  of  intemperance.  As  I  go  over 
all  the  list  of  those  once  bright,  promising 
students,  and  then  remember  all  the  blighted 
hopes,  the  crushed  and  bleeding  hearts,  and 
the  dishonored  graves,  I  think  to  myself :  Oh  ! 
could  my  voice  be  heard  by  every  student  in 
the  land,  I  would  say,  shun  the  wine  cup;  for 
however  fair  and  sparkling  it  may  appear,  'at 
the  last  it  biteth  like  a  serpent  and  stingeth 
like  an  adder.' 

"You  remember  I  wrote  you  from  S.,  when  I 
settled  there,  where  I  remained  till  four  years 
ago,  when  I  came  to  L.  I  soon  worked  up  a 


150        THROUGH  SHAPOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

good  practice  in  S.  I  had  hosts  of  friends  who 
were  willing  to  aid  me  in  my  efforts  at  advance 
ment.  No  man  of  my  age  had  a  fairer  prospect 
of  success.  Alas!  but  few  have  more  sadly  dis 
appointed  their  friends. 

"Unfortunately,  my  habit  of  drinking  in 
creased.  The  appetite  grew  stronger  and  more 
uncompromising  in  its  demands.  Still,  like  thou 
sands  of  others,  I  refused  to  believe  there  was 
any  danger.  I  laughed  when  my  best  friends 
warned  me,  and  became  indignant  when  they 
hinted  the  necessity  of  reforming.  Strange  as 
it  may  seem,  with  all  the  sad  evidences  to  the 
contrary,  I  clung  to  the  fatal  delusion  which 
has  been  the  ruin  of  so  many  thousands,  that  a 
man  may  indulge  the  habit  of  drinking  and  yet 
hold  his  appetite  under  control. 

"At  last  there  came  an  awakening,  and  the 
terrible  reality  forced  itself  upon  me,  that  I  was 
a  drunkard.  Then  began  the  struggle  for  my' 
deliverance.  But  why  need  I  recount  to  you, 
my  friend,  all  the  dark,  bitter  experience?  Suf 
fice  it  say,  then  only,  did  I  learn  how  weak  a 
man  is,  when  once  he  has  fallen  beneath  the 
power  of  rum.  How  weak  I  was,  how  powerful 
was  the  foe  with  which  I  contended.  All  my 
promises,  all  my  resolutions  were  as  nothing 
compared  with  the  appetite  that  was  consuming 
me.  I  saw  my  danger  but  had  no  power  to 
avert  it;  I  felt  that  the  turning  point  had  been 
reached;  I  felt  that  I  must  be  rescued  now, 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  151 

or  pass  beyond  the  limit  of  all  earthly   hope. 

"In  this  condition  I  shut  myself  up  in  my 
room,  resolved  carefully  and  earnestly  to  review 
the  past  for  the  purpose  of  finding  out  where  I 
had  made  the  mistake,  and  of  deciding  on  some 
plan  for  my  deliverance.  I  soon  found  where 
I  had  made  one  fatal  mistake,  and  resolved  to 
rectify  it  at  once.  I  had  so  far  proceeded  on 
the  supposition  that  I  could  take  one  glass  and 
then  stop.  This  had  been  a  sad,  a  terrible  fail 
ure.  If  saved  from  a  drunkard's  fate,  there 
was,  I  became  convinced,  but  one  course,  and 
that  was  to  abstain  from  even  tasting  or  in  any 
way  associating  with  the  fatal  cup.  This  I  re 
solved  to  do  as  the  first  step.  Then  and  there  I 
resolved,  with  the  help  of  Heaven,  never  to 
taste  another  drop  of  liquor. 

"Another  thing  commended  itself,  in  fact  ap 
peared  necessary;  that  was  to  connect  myself 
with  some  good  temperance  organization  and 
become  an  active  worker  in  the  cause.  This,  I 
reasoned,  will  put  me  in  sympathy  with  the 
temperance  element  and  I  will  have  its  encourage 
ment  and  aid.  It  will  also  be  a  public  declara 
tion  of  my  principles.  So  long  as  I  am  not 
pledged  to  temperance,  my  friends  think  them 
selves  at  liberty,  and  in  some  cases  required  to 
invite  me  to  drink.  But  so  soon  as  they  learn 
that  I  have  publicly  pledged  myself,  no  man 
who  is  my  friend,  and  no  honest  man  who  is  not 
my  friend,  will  ask  me  to  drink,  and  thus  sacri- 


152  THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

fice  my  honor  by  violating  a  solemn  obligation. 
And  let  me  assure  you,  my  dear  friend,  in  this  I 
have  not  been  disappointed.  I  had  no  idea  that 
the  simple  act  of  signing  a  pledge  and  becoming 
a  member  of  a  temperance  society,  could  be  of 
such  real  value  to  a  man  who  does  earnestly  de 
sire  to  break  off  from  the  drinking  habit.  It 
has  saved  me  from  a  thousand  temptations  and 
done  much  toward  planting  my  feet  upon  the 
solid  rock,  on  which,  I  humbly  trust,  I  am  now 
standing. 

"But  this,  I  felt,  was  not  enough.  Though  up 
to  this  hour  I  had  never  been,  in  the  strict  sense 
of  the  term,  a  religious  man,  yet  I  had  been  a 
believer  in  the  bible,  and  in  a  vague  sort  of  a 
way,  in  the  power  and  benefit  of  prayer.  But 
in  that  hour  of  my  weakness,  I  felt  its  necessity 
more  than  ever  before.  Then  it  was  that  I  re 
membered  the  lessons  I  learned  at  my  mother's 
knee.  They  came  with  a  vividness  and  force 
never  possessed  before.  Floating  over  the  van 
ished  years,  there  seemed  to  come  the  sound  of 
my  mother's  voice.  I  heard  again  the  prayers 
she  used  to  offer  that  God  would  bless  and  keep 
her  boy.  I  resolved  to  test,  in  my  own  case, 
the  power  of  prayer,  which  had  ever  been  her 
refuge.  Alone  with  God,  I  plead  a6*  only  that 
man  pleads  who  sees  his  terrible  danger  and 
feels  that  he  himself  is  helpless.  I  tell  you, 
Wardsworth,  that  was  the  holiest  and  most 
deeply  solemn  hour  of  my  whole  life.  It  was 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.        153 

there  I  gained  the  victory  over  myself  and  my 
debasing  appetite.  I  came  forth  from  that  sol 
itary  struggle  with  a  strength  and  courage  to 
meet  my  enemy,  to  which  before  I  had  been  a 
stranger. 

"As  I  look  back  upon  it  now,  and  am  able  to 
take  a  more  philosophic  view  of  my  case,  two 
facts  are  sufficient  to  solve  the  problem  of  my 
redemption.  These  are,  first:  I  had  reached 
the  high  ground  of  total  abstinence,  and  a  pub 
lic  profession  of  those  principles  before  the 
world.  I  was  thus  in  a  position  to  meet  my 
enemy  at  a  point  where  I  had  all  my  powers, 
and  faculties  at  my  command.  I  was  no  longer 
at  so  great  a  disadvantage.  Heretofore  I  had 
to  meet  him  after  I  had  taken  a  glass  or  two, 
which  only  served  to  arouse  the  morbid  appe 
tite  the  more.  Second :  Hitherto  I  had  relied 
solely  on  my  own  strength.  I  now  came  with 
a  deep  sense  of  my  own  weakness  to  look  to 
that  higher  power,  whose  strength  is  made  per 
fect  in  human  weakness  and  is  able  to  keep  us 
from  falling. 

"The  next  evening  there  was  to  be  a  public 
temperance  meeting.  I  went  home  a  little 
earlier  than  usual  and  frankly  told  my  wife 
what  had  been  the  burden  of  my  thoughts,  and 
that  I  had  resolved  to  sign  the  pledge  and  once 
more  be  a  free  man.  Oh,  Wardsworth !  could 
you  have  seen  the  sunshine  which  that  assur 
ance  brought  to  the  dear  heart  that  had  so  long 


154  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

trusted  and  hoped.  The  joy  of  that  one  hour 
has  amply  compensated  for  all  the  sacrifices  I 
have  had  to  make  in  order  to  keep  inviolate 
my  obligation. 

"There  remains  but  little  more  for  me  to  tell 
you.  I  fully  believe  I  am  a  saved  man ;  and 
oh !  the  gratitude  of  my  heart  at  the  thought 
of  this  is  beyond  expression.  I  believe  I  am 
safe  because  I  ^arn  relying,  not  on  my  own 
strength,  but  on  the  strength  that  God  gives  to 
those  who  ask  him.  I  am  also  actively  working 
for  the  temperance  reform.  This  keeps  alive 
my  interest,  not  only  in  others,  but  in  myself 
and  my  own  safety.  If  I  may  be  the  means  of 
rescuing  but  one  of  my  fallen  brothers,  it  will 
be  enough  for  a  lifetime  of  toil. 

"And  now,  my  dear  friend,  I  find  I  have 
written  a  much  longer  letter  than  I  intended; 
but  I  trust  it  may  prove  interesting  to  you,  and 
perhaps  be  a  source  of  some  little  encourage 
ment  in  the  terrible  struggle  you  are  now  car 
rying  on  with  the  enemy.  If  aught  in  my  ex 
perience  can  afford  you  instruction  and  hope, 
then  let  God  be  praised.  I  fain  would  aid  you, 
if  it  were  in  my  power.  That  you  may  have 
strength  from  on  high,  and  yet  come  up  from 
the  deep  darkness  into  the  clearer,  purer  light, 
and  to  that  grand  and  noble  life  of  which  I 
know  you  to  be  so  capable,  is  my  earnest  pray 
er.  Remember  me  most  kindly  to  Mrs.  Wards  - 
worth  and  those  other  kind  friends  whose 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.         155 

acquaintances  I  formed,  and  if  at  any   time    I 
can  serve  you,  don't  fail  to  command  me. 
"Your  old  friend  and  classmate, 

"  HARRY  FERGUSON." 

To  say  that  Wardsworth  read  the  above  letter, 
would  but  poorly  express  the  truth.  He  studied 
it  point  by  point,  and  paragraph  by  paragraph, 
as  he  would  some  important  legal  document,  on 
which  hung  great  issues.  Its  effect  upon  him 
may  be  inferred  from  the  following  note,  written 
in  reply,  a  few  days  after: 

"CEDARVILLE, ,  18 — . 

"DEAR  FERGUSON, — Your  kind  letter  is  to  hand. 
I  have  read  it  and  re-read  it;  and  though  my 
heart  is  too  full  to  write  much  now,  I  cannot 
refrain  from  saying,  it  has  done  me  more  good 
than  any  other  letter  I  ever  received  in  my  life. 
May  God  bless  you,  my  more  than  friend. 

"HARRY  WARDSWORTH." 

The  same  evening  Mrs.  Wardsworth  had  put 
on  her  wraps  and  got  as  far  as  the  gate,  intend 
ing  to  go  to  the  office  to  meet  her  husband,  when 
she  saw  him  coming  up  the  street.  Something 
in  his  walk  and  appearance  caused  her  to  stop, 
and  her  heart  to  almost  cease  beating.  There 
was  something  peculiar  in  his  walk.  Could  it 
be  the  excitement  of  wine?  or  what  was  it  that 
made  his  step  so  elastic  ?  For  a  few  moments 


156  THBOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

her  heart  was  filled  with  sad  foreboding.  She 
had  been  so  often  disappointed  and  cast  down ; 
so  often  had  her  hopes  been  crushed,  just  when 
she  thought  they  were  on  the  point  of  blossom 
ing  into  full  fruition,  that  it  was  no  wonder  if, 
on  the  slightest  appearance  of  danger,  her  heart 
gave  a  great  cry  of  sorrow.  A  second  look, 
however,  as  he  came  nearer,  caused  her  fear  to 
give  place  to  a  glad  hope.  It  could  not  be  the 
effect  of  wine  drinking.  Somehow  the  look,  the 
step,  and  especially  the  smile,  carried  her  away 
back  over  the  years  of  deep,  dark  sorrow,  and 
all  unconscious  of  the  sudden  transition,  set  her 
down  in  the  midst  of  her  departed  joys.  She 
was  conscious  of  but  two  things;  her  husband 
was  perfectly  sober  and  everything  about  him 
was  changed  for  the  better.  And  when  he 
came  and  stood  by  her  side,  and  stooping  down 
imprinted  on  her  forehead  a  husband's  pure 
kiss,  just  as  he  used  to  do  in  those  long  ago 
happy  days,  she  was  gladder  and  happier  than 
she  had  been  for  long  years.  It  was  the  first 
bright  beams  of  the  morning,  that  heralded  the 
coming  day. 

"You  were  intending  to  go  out  this  evening, 
were  you  not,"  he  remarked  to  his  wife,  as  they 
sat  that  evening  at  the  tea-table. 

"Yes,  Harry,  if  you  are  perfectly  willing. 
You  know  this  is  the  last  meeting  of  our  lecture 
course" — and  the  voice  grew  slightly  tremulous 
—"and  the  woman's  society  has  arranged  for  a 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.        157 

half -hour  prayer  meeting  in  the  vestry,  previous 
to  the  lecture.  But  I  will  stay  with  you  or  go 
out  with  you  anywhere  else,  if  you  wish  it,"  she 
added  pleasantly. 

"I  would  rather  you  would  go"  he  replied, 
after  a  moment's  thought.  "Where  did  you  say 
the  meeting  is  to  be  held?" 

"In  the  Presbyterian  church;"  she  answered, 
and  oh,  such  a  longing  filled  her  heart  to  have 
him  accompany  her!  But  he  had  so  often  ex 
cused  himself  that  she  deemed  it  the  wiser 
course  not  to  press  the  matter  to-night. 

Seven  o'clock  struck  and  putting  on  her  wraps 
and  kissing  her  husband  good  bye,  the  brave,  pa 
tient  wife  set  out  to  meet  her  sisters  in  the  good 
work  of  encouraging  the  suffering  of  their  own 
sex,  and  so  far  as  able,  of  rescuing  the  fallen  of 
either  sex.  The  prayer  meeting  that  evening 
was  one  of  the  most  interesting  of  the  series.  As 
Mrs.  Wardsworth  looked  over  the  little  audience 
and  noticed  how  many  wives  were  there  whose 
husbands  had  been  rescued  from  the  destroyer, 
as  she  listened  to  the  expressions  of  heart-felt 
gratitude  to  God,  for  the  great  blessing  that  had 
come  to  their  homes,  she  felt  that  even  if  the 
efforts  in  behalf  of  her  own  husband  were  not 
successful,  she  could  rejoice  for  what  had  been 
done.  She  would  not  be  selfish  in  her  desire 
or  prayers.  She  would  "rejoice  with  them  that 
do  rejoice,"  and  leave  the  whole  of  her  own  and 
husband's  future  in  God's  hands.  There  came 


158  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

over  her  a  feeling  of  calm  peace,  and  resignation 
and  trust.  An  assurance  that  her  Heavenly 
Father  would  do  all  things  well,  and  that  in  his 
own  good  time  and  way,  he  would  come  to  her 
deliverance.  Never  before  had  she  felt  such 
perfect  resignation  to  his  will,  never  such  per 
fect  confidence  in  his  power  and  mercy. 

The  meeting  closed  and  the  ladies  repaired  to 
the  audience  room,  which  was  already  well  filled. 
Seats  had  been  reserved  for  them  in  the  body  of 
of  the  church  in  front  of  the  speaker's  platform. 
So  soon  as  they  were  seated  the  president  called 
the  meeting  to  order  and  introduced  the  lecturer 
of  the  evening.  As  he  came  forward  a  feeling 
of  disappointment  was  evidently  apparent 
throughout  the  audience.  He  was  an  entire 
stranger,  never  having  been  seen  in  Cedarville 
before.  His  appearance  was  unprepossessing. 
His  head  was  large  and  covered  with  a  thick 
growth  of  sandy  hair,  just  beginning  to  turn 
gray.  His  age  appeared  to  be  about  fifty.  His 
dress  was  plain  in  the  extreme.  After  for  a 
moment,  surveying  the  audience,  he  began  his 
address.  His  voice  was  low  and  solemn,  scarce 
ly  being  heard  at  the  farther  end  of  room,  but 
instantly  every  voice  was  hushed,  and  in  trem 
ulous  tones  he  proceeded. 

*"My  friends,  did  you  ever  see   a   beautiful 

*For  much  that  is  contained  in  this  address,  the  author  is 
indebted  to  a  little  volume,  read  when  he  was  a  boy, 
entitled :  ''Why  am  I  a  Temperance  Man." 


THEOUGH  SHADOW   TO    SUNSHIIS^E.  159 

ship  leaving  her  port  for  some  foreign  shore, 
with  every  stitch  of  canvas  set,  her  flag  waving 
at  the  mast-head,  her  beautiful  streamers  float 
ing  out  on  the  breeze '{  Sailing  away  with  the 
bright  sunbeams  playing  around  her,  amid  the 
waiving  of  handkershiefs  and  the  joyous  good 
byes  of  those  who  remain  on  the  shore  ?  Sail 
ing  away  upon  the  ocean  freighted  with  the 
hopes  and  joys  of  years  to  come?  Even  so, 
years  long  gone,  was  my  barque  launched  upon 
the  sea  of  life,  and  with  high  hopes  and  bright 
prospects  I  commenced  that  voyage  which  all 
must  take,  and  which  none  may  take  but  once. 
Have  you  seen  that  same  proud  ship  come  back, 
scarcely  entering  the  harbor,  her  banners  gone, 
her  streamers  carried  away,  with  torn  sails  and 
dismantled  rigging,  almost  a  wreck,  yet  saved 
at  last  ?  Even  so  you  see  before  you,  one  who 
has  passed  through  the  storms,  and  though  at 
last  has  found  a  refuge  of  safety,  will  carry 
with  him  to  the  tomb  the  sad  evidence  of  the 
conflict  with  the  storm." 

He  paused,  and  there  was  the  silence  of 
death.  In  those  few  words  he  had  won  every 
heart.  Again  he  spoke,  and  his  voice  fell  in 
soft  cadence  on  every  ear  of  the  vast  audience. 

"I  have  come  to-night  to  tell  you  something 
of  my  past  experience,  in  the  hope  that  it  may 
either  warn  some  of  my  fellow  voyagers  of  the 
rocks  011  which  I  so  nearly  stranded,  or  en 
courage  others  in  the  hour  of  their  danger,  to 


160  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

turn  their  eye  to  the  star  of  Bethlehem,  whose 
light  at  last  guided  me  to  the  port  of  peace." 

Then  for  more  than  an  hour  he  held  his  au 
dience  xspell-bound,  often  moving  them  to  tears, 
as  he  told  of  his  early  hopes,  his  bright  prospects 
for  usefulnes?,  of  his  marriage  and  happy  joy 
ous  home,  of  his  fall  through  the  influence  of 
drink,  his  degredation,  and  how,  at  last,  when 
all  hope  seemed  gone,  when  all  had  forsaken 
him  but  his  faithful,  devoted  wife,  her  faithful 
ness  was  rewarded  and  her  prayers  answered. 
"If,"  he  continued,  "there  is  one  blessing  for 
for  which,  more  than  another,  I  feel  thankful, 
it  is  that  I  am  saved  from  the  power  of  rum. 
Next  to  this  is*  the  blessing  that  my  deliverance 
was  effected  before  the  dear,  devoted  wife  was 
called  to  cross  the  river  of  death.  She  lived  to 
see  me  reclaimed.  She  heard  my  voice  lifted  in 
warning  accents  to  those  who  were  yet  battling 
with  the  storm.  When  death  came  and  laid  on 
her  his  cold  hand,  with  a  sweet  smile  of  resig 
nation,  she  laid  her  head  upon  my  heart  and 
winding  her  cold  arm  around  my  neck  said: 
'Now  let  death  come,  I  am  ready.'  The  one  pur 
pose  for  which,  for  years,  she  had  lived,  was 
accomplished.  We  laid  her  away  in  the  blessed 
sleep  of  the  righteous,  and  over  her  new  made 
grave  I  planted  the  flowers  and  renewed  my  vows 
of  consecration  to  my  life  work,  saving  my  fellow 
men.  Wherever  I  go  I  seem  to  feel  around  me 
the  gentle,  holy  influence  of  her  presence.  And 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  161 

oil!  if  to-night  her  spirit  is  permitted  to  look 
down  from  her  bright  and  beautiful  home  on 
high,  among  all  the  scenes  of  earth  on 
which  her  eye  can  rest,  there  is  none  that  makes 
her  Heaven  so  joyful  as  that  of  her  husband 
seeking  to  save  those  who,  like  himself,  has  fall 
en  beneath  the  power  of  the  tempter.  And  why 
may  we  not  believe  it  is  so?'  Is  there  not  'joy 
among  the  angels  of  God  over  one  sinner  that 
repentethf 

"Let  me  appeal  especially  to  those  who 
fear  they  have  passed  beyond  the  power  of  re 
demption.  There  are  none  here  to-night,  there 
can  possibly  be  none,  who  have  fallen  lower 
than  I  had,  or  whose  concKtion.  appears  more 
hopeless.  The  same  Divine  hand  that  reached 
down  to  my  wretchedness  and  lifted  me  up,  is 
to-night  outstretched  to  you.  Do  not  depend  on 
your  own  streiigrh  for  your  deliverance,  but  on 
that  of  Him  who  came  to  seek  and  to  save  the 
lost.  Do  not,  however,  let  me  undervalue  the 
greatness  of  your  own  strength.  There  is  a 
mighty  power  even  in  a  determined  human 
effort;  but  a  determined  human  effort  made  in 
the  strength  of  God,  becomes  invincible. 
There  is  a  mighty  power  in  a  solemn  pledge. 
Here,  perhaps,  is  where  some  of  you  have  made 
a  mistake.  It  is  one  of  the  rocks  on  which  I 
so  nearly  stranded.  I  fancied  I  could  as  well 
keep  from  drinking  without  signing  a  pledge  as 
with  it.  How  sadly  I  was  mistaken,  my  long 


162       THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

years  of  shame  and  sorrow  sadly  testify.  So 
long  as  I  refused  to  sign  a  pledge  and  connect 
myself  with  a  temperance  society,  so  long  I 
was  the  victim  of  every  one  who  choose  to 
tempt  me.  But  when  I  signed  and  was  solemn 
ly  pledged  to  total  abstinence,  then  no  honor 
able  man  would  ask  me  to  break  my  pledge. 
This,  my  friends,  .was  the  first  step  in  my 
reformation.  But  it  was  not  until  I  cast  my 
poor,  helpless  broken  spirit  on  God,  that  I  felt 
I  was  saved.  I  am  here  to-night,  saved  from 
the  sad  fate  of  a  drunkard,  because  I  signed  a 
pledge  never  to  taste  another  drop  of  liquor, 
and  because  I  am  constantly  depending  in 
humble  reliance  on,  Divine  power  for  strength 
to  keep  that  pledge.  If  there  be  here  to-night, 
a  poor  inebriate  who  would  fain  break  the 
tempter's  chain,  to  you  I  extend  my  hand  and 
say,  l  come  thou  and  do  likewise.' r 

He  closed  his  address  and  the  pledge  was 
produced.  One  after  another  came  forward 
and  wrote  their  names,  until  about  thirty  had 
affixed  their  signatures.  Presently  a  murmur 
ran  through  the  audience.  It  grew  louder,  as 
a  manly  form  was  seen  to  pass  up  the  aisle  and 
take  his  place  by  the  table.  Sherwood  saw 
him,  and  with  and  audible  ''Thank  God," 
bowed  his  head  in  silent  prayer.  Mrs.  Wards- 
worth  was  sitting  with  her  head  resting  on  the 
back  of  the  seat,  with  throbbing  heart  pleading 
with  God.  Mrs.  Thornton,  who  was  sitting  by 


THEOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHHSTE.        163 

her  side,  called  her  attention,  and  quickly 
drying  her  eyes  she  looked  up.  Her  husband 
was  standing  at  the  table.  Taking  up  the  pen, 
he  slowly  and  deliberately  dipped  it  in  the  ink, 
and  in  a  clear,  bold  hand  traced  the  name  of 
"Harry  Wardsworth."  The  audience  was 
hushed  to  silence.  A  solemn  awe  pervaded  the 
entire  assembly.  The  pastor  of  the  church 
was  the  first  to  recover  himself,  and  rising,  he 
said,  "Let  us  pray,"  and  with  a  voice  which 
betrayed  the  deep  emotion  of  his  soul,  he 
prayed  that  God  would  impart  strength  to 
carry  out  every  resolution  and  to  keep  sacred 
every  vow.  A  few  more  came  forward  and 
affixed  their  signatures  to  the  pledge,  the 
audience  joined  in  singing  "Praise  God  from 
whom  all  blessings  flow,"  the  benediction  was 
pronounced  and  the  audience  dispersed.  Sev 
eral  came  forward  and  warmly  grasping 
Wardsworth's  hand,  wished  him  God  speed, 
but  for  himself,  his  emotions  were  too  deep  for 
utterance.  To  his  wife,  the  whole  scene 
appeared  like  a  pleasant  dream.  She  could 
hardly  believe  the  evidence  of  her  own  senses.  So 
seldom  is  it  that  we  are  prepared  to  receive  the 
blessing  when  it  comes,  or  to  recognize  the 
answer  to  our  prayers. 

But  few  words  were  spoken  during  the  walk 
home.  It  was  not  until  the  wife  had  gained  the 
privacy  of  her  own  room  that  she  felt  free  to 
let  the  deep  fountains  of  her  gratitude  overflow 


164  THKOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

and  offer  the  burden  of  her  thanks.  There  she 
knelt,  and  in  that  moment  of  communion,  all  the 
past,  with  its  hours,  its  weeks,  nay,  its  years  of 
darkness  and  sorrow  was  forgotten.  The  bur 
den  that  for  years  had  been  crushing  her  to  the 
earth,  rolled  off  and  fell  into  that  sepulchre 
where  was  already  buried  the  grief  of  the  past. 
The  long  dark  night  with  its  darkness  arid  its 
gloom  was  ended.  The  morning  of  hope  and 
joy  had  at  last  dawned.  Slowly  all  this  great 
truth  came  to  her.  Out  of  the  dead  past  she 
stepped  into  the  living  present !  The  shadows 
were  departing.  Afar  off  she  could  trace  them, 
but  swifter  and  swifter  were  they  receding 
before  the  advancing  morning  All  the  pain 
of  the  past  was  forgotten  in  the  bliss  of  the 
present.  Oh!  the  joy  of  that  moment.  There 
was  but  one  thought  and  that  filled  all  her  soul. 
Her  prayers  were  answered  and  her  husband 
was  reclaimed. 

Not  for  one  moment  did  she  doubt  either  his 
determination  or  strength  to  keep  inviolate  his 
pledge.  He  had  at  last  reached  the  high 
ground  to  which  she  had  so  long  turned  her 
tearful  eyes.  God  had  heard  her  prayer,  and 
granted  her  that  much,  and  she  received  it  as 
but  the  assurance  that  the  same  Divine  power 
would  aid  in  accomplishing  the  rest. 

Great,  however,  as  was  her  surprise  and  joy, 
a  still  greater  awaited,  her.  She  returned  to 
the  sitting  room  to  meet  her  husband,  but  he 


THROUGH  SHADOW    TO    SUNSHINE.  165 

was  not  there.  She  repaired  to  the  chamber, 
and  there,  in  the  room,  lightened  only  by  the 
beams  of  the  bright,  full  moon,  as  it  shone 
through  the  window,  she  found  him.  In  low, 
tremulous  tones,  he  was  pleading  for  Divine 
help  to  keep  inviolate  the  pledge  he  had  taken. 
But  what  pen  shall  describe  that  struggle  ?  It 
was  the  turning  point  in  Harry  Wardsworth's 
life,  and  he  well  knew  it.  He  must  conquer 
now  or  go  down  into  the  deep,  dark  current, 
whose  dismal  waters  are  ever  dashing  upon  the 
shore  where  there  is  no  hope.  It  was  the  last 
desperate  struggle  of  the  strong  man  for  his 
life,  the  last  desperate  struggle  of  the  monster 
for  his  victim.  It  was  a  moment  of  awful  sub 
limity.  As  his  wife,  with  streaming  eyes  and 
throbbing  heart,  watched  the  struggle,  she 
could  only  cry  from  the  depths  of  her  spirit. 
uLord  hear  and  save."  Kneeling  by  his  side 
she  united  her  prayers  with  his,  and  together 
their  petitions  ascended  to  the  throne  of  the 
Eternal. 

Presently  his  voice  grew  strangely  calm.  A 
hand  Divine  was  outstretched,  and  by  faith  he 
grasped  it.  His  prayer  had  been  heard,  and 
the  voice  that  re-echoed  over  the  stormy  waves 
of  Geneseret's  lake  had  whispered  to  the  raging 
tempest  of  his  soul,  "Peace !  be  still."  The 
Divine  spirit  came  down  and  sealed  the  forgive 
ness  upon  his  heart,  arid  a  Father's  loving  arms 
enfolded  the  returning  prodigal. 


166  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

When  he  arose  and  came  forth  from  that 
chamber,  his  face  wore  a  look  that  never  rested 
there  before.  It  was  a  look  of  calm,  holy  peace 
and  trust.  It  spoke,  as  plainly  as  words  could 
utter  it,  "He  has  found  the  refuge,  henceforth 
he  is  safe."  He  went  into  the  chamber  an 
earnest,  supplicating  penitent;  he  came  out  a 
forgiven  child,  a  saved  man. 

Together  they  repaired  to  the  sitting  room, 
and  there  we  will  leave  them.  That  hour  of 
sacred,  holy  communion  with  themselves  and 
God  is  too  sacred  for  curious  eyes  to  look  upon. 
Enough  to  say,  the  Comforter  wae  there,  and  the 
angel  of  peace  spread  his  pinons  over  and 
around  them,  and  "There  was  joy  in  the  pres 
ence  of  the  angels  over  another  sinner  who  had 
repeuted." 


CHAPTER  XII. 

"  IT  COMETH  AS  A  WHIRLWIND.  " 

Many,  indeed,  were  the  opinons  expressed  in 
regard  to  Harry  Wards  worth  signing  the  pledge, 
and  the  prospect  of  his  complete  recovery  from 
the  vice  of  drunkenness.  As  usual,  th  oee  opini  ons 
were  as  varied  as  were  the  numbers  that  held 
them,  and  their  expression  served  to  illustrate 
their  good  or  ill  will  toward  Wardsworth  him 
self. 

Some,  but  unfortunately  they  were  in  the 
minority,  saw  in  the  act  the  assurance  of  hope, 
and  resolved  to  aid  to  the  extent  of  their  ability. 
Others  hoped  the  reformation  might  be  perma 
nent,  but  greatly  feared  the  result,  knowing 
well  the  fearful  hold  which  the  destroyer  had 
taken  of  his  victim.  Others  still,  not  only  re 
fused  to  believe  in  the  genuineness  of  his 
reformation,  but  showed  too  plainly,  that  in 
their  case,  the  wish  was  father  to  the  thought. 
Among  the  latter  were  Simkins  and  Slocum. 
The  former  of  those  gentlemen  remembered  but 
too  vividly  for  his  own  pleasure,  the  influence 
which  Wardsworth  had  possessed  in  the  days 
of  his  strength,  and  the  part  he  (Simkins)  had 


168       THEOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUXSHTNE. 

taken  in  his  ruin,  and  very  much  feared  that 
possibly  retribution  might  at  some  time  be  visit 
ed  upon  his  own  head. 

"  The  trouble  with  that  class  of  men,"  said 
the  Hoii  (?)  gentleman,  "is,  their  honor  is  gone. 
They  have  110  principle  of  honor.  There  is 
nothing  to  build  on.  I  have  no  doubt  but 
Wardsworth  means  well,  and  at  times  would 
like  to  become  a  sober  man ;  but  the  trouble  is, 
he  has  given  up  his  manhood,  thrown  away  his 
honor,  and  what  are  you  going  to  do  in  such  a 
ease  ? "  Another  illustration  of  "  Satin  rebuk 
ing  sin. " 

Walter  Pitman,  the  very  respectable  saloon 
keeper,  to  whom  the  reader  has  already  been 
introduced,  gave  his  opinion  without  any  hesi 
tation,  and  openly  boasted  of  his  determination 
to  entrap  Wardsworth  and  induce  him  to  violate 
his  pledge. 

"I  tell  you  what  it  is,  gentleman,"  he  remark 
ed  to  a  number  of  his  customers,  "I  have  seen 
just  such  things  before.  Hank  Wardsworth 
won't  keep  his  pledge  three  months,  or  my 
name  ain't  Walt  Pitman. " 

"What  makes  you  think  that?"  asked  one  of 
his  listeners. 

"  O,  let  Walt  alone  for  that, "  was  the  answer, 
as  he  gave  a  knowing  wink.  "Wait  till  I  get 
hold  of  him.  If  I  don't  get  him  to  drink  the 
first  time  I  get  a  chance,  then  I'll  treat  all  hands 
I  have  seen  lots  of  such  cases,  and  I  neverfailed 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  169 

yet  in  getting  them  to  drink  when  I  once  went 
about  it. " 

In  this  case,  however,  the  crafty  saloon  keeper 
did  more  than  he  intended.  Among  the 
listeners  present  was  Joe  Bliss,  a  man  who  had 
once  been  comparatively  wealthy  and  respected, 
but  who  had  reached  almost  the  lowest  level  of 
drunkenness. 

The  coo1,  deliberate  manner  in  which  Pitman 
boasted  of  his  plans  for  Wardsworth's  more 
complete  ruin,  affected  him  strangely.  Spring 
ing  from  his  seat,  he  walked  up  to  the  bar, 
behind  which  Pitman  was  standing,  and  looking 
the  saloon  keeper  in  the  face,  asked : 

"Do  you  mean  to  say,  Pitman,  that  if  you 
could,  you  would  get  Wardsworth  to  break  hi* 
pledge  ? " 

"  Certainly,  I  mean  to  say  so.  It  is  my  busi 
ness  to  sell  liquor ;  that  is  what  I  pay  the  license 
for.  Don't  I  pay  the  government  a  good  big 
price  for  the  privilege  of  selling  liquor,  and  do 
you  think  I  am  such  a  fool  as  to  let  everybody 
sign  the  pledge  and  become  sober,  and  thus  break 
up  my  own  business,  if  I  can  help  it  ?  What  do 
you  say  to  that,  old  man  ? " 

"I  say  it  is  the  most  infernal  business  ever  a 
man  engaged  in ;  and  anybody  who  will  try  to 
get  Harry  Wardsworth  to  violate  a  solemn 
pledge,  and  lead  him  again  to  drunkenness,  is 
worse  than  a  thief,  I  do  not  care  how  great  a 
claim  he  lays  to  respectability.  That's  my 


170  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

opinion,  Walter  Pitman." 

The  wiley  saloonist  saw  his  mistake  and  at 
once  tried  to  correct  it.  Looking  at  Bliss  with 
one  of  his  most  winning  smiles,  he  answered : 

"  I  know  what  is  wrong  with  you,  Joe  ;  you 
have  not  had  your  bitters  this  morning !  "  and 
turning  to  where  the  liquors'were  kept,  he  added 
— "come,  what1!!  you  take?" 

"  Nothing!  "  thundered  Joe. 

"What!  nothing?" 

"No  ;  nothing  from  you,"  and  looking  stead- 
ly  into  the  face  of  the  saloon  keeper,  he  contin 
ued  : 

"  Say,  Pitman,  did  you  ever  know  Joe  Bliss  to 
do  a  mean  thing  ? " 

"  No,  Joe, "  was  the  reply,  "  I  never  knew  you 
to  do  a  mean  thing  in  your  life.  " 

"No;  I  thought  not;  and  you  might  have 
added,  that  you  never  knew  me  to  do  a  good 
one.  But  now  I  am  going  to  do  one,  yes,  two* 
good  acts.  First,  I  am  going  directly  to  Harry 
Wardsworth  and  warn  him  that  you  have  delib 
erately  planned  to  induce  him  to  break  his 
pledge ;  and  second,  I  am  going  to  sign  the 
same  pledge  that  Wardsworth  has,  and  if  there 
is  any  honor  left  in  Joe  Bliss,  I  am  going  to 
keep  it ;  "  and  he  walked  out  leaving  the  saloon 
keeper  the  most  disconcerted  man  in  Cedarville. 
For  once  the  Devil  had  reckoned  without  his 
host,  as  that  was  the  last  time  ever  Joe  Bliss 
visited  a  whisky  saloon. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  171 

As  for  Solomon  Slocum,  Esquire,  there  was 
but  one  thing  that  troubled  him.  That  was  not 
his  conscience,  for  he  had  got  a  long  way  be 
yond  any  trouble  from  that  direction. 

As  we  have  seen,  Mrs.  Wardsworth  had  never 
signed  the  deed  he  had  so  fraudulently  obtained 
from  her  husband;  and  in  the  absence  of  her 
signature,  a  cloud  rested  on  his  title  to  the 
property.  He  had  fully  believed  that  Wards- 
worth  would  be  either  hung  or  imprisoned,  in 
which  case  he  hoped  to  take  advantage  of  her 
circumstances  and  induce  her  for  a  few  dollars, 
to  sign  the  deed.  But  the  acquittal  of  her  hus 
band,  and  especially  his  reformation  had  sadly 
interfered  with  his  plans,  and  he  began  to  fear, 
not  only  that  he  would  fail  to  perfect  his  title, 
but  that  he  might  be  made  to  suffer  the  penalty 
of  his  crimes. 

It  is  not  then  surprising  that  his  first  act  on 
hearing  that  Wardsworth  had  signed  the  pledge, 
was  to  call  on  his  bosom  friend  and  counsellor, 
Hon.  Hezekiah  Simkins. 

"I  say,  Simkins,"  he  remarked,  "what  is  to 
be  done  about  my  title  to  that  property  I  got 
of  Wardsworth  ? " 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Slocum? "  answered  the 
lawyer  ;  "  have  you  not  got  your  deed,  regular 
ly  executed  by  Wardsworth  ?  Has  he  not  given 
you  possession,  and  you  are  now  living  in  the 
house?  What  more  do  you  want  ?" 

"True,  but  you  are  aware  that  his  wife  never. 


172  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

signed  the  deed.  That  is  what  troubles  me 
now." 

"Very  true;  I  thought  you  were  foolish  in 
not  making  an  effort  to  secure  her  signature 
while  her  husband  was  in  prison." 

"I  see  it  now,  and  only  wish  I  had  taken  your 
advice;  but  I  was  sure  Wardsworth  would 
either  be  hung  or  sent  to  prison,  in  which  case 
poverty  would  have  come  to  my  aid.  There  is 
nothing  like  starvation,  you  know,  to  bring 
proud  people  to  terms." 

"But  you  see  he  was  neither  hung  nor  sent 
to  prison,  and  from  present  appearances,  I  do 
not  see  much  prospect  of  either  one  happening. 
However,  I  do  not  believe  there  is  any  danger 
of  Wardsworth  giving  you  any  trouble.  If  he 
does,  I  have  helped  you  out  of  some  very  tough 
scrapes,  as  you  know,  and  I  guess  I  can  see  you 
through  this." 

"Oh,  I  don't  fear  on  his  account.  Old  Slocum 
was  too  cunning  to  set  a  trap  for  himself; 
besides,  he  wont  care  to  go  back  and  dig  up  his 
own  degradation,  and  he  knows  that  the  tran 
saction  was  legal,  if  it  was  not  just  as  one  would 
wish  to  be  done  by ;  but  what  I  no  \v  want  is  to  work 
some  way  to  secure  her  signature  to  the  deed." 

"Well,  Slocum,  there  is  but  one  course  open 
to  you,  so  far  as  I  can  see,  and  that  is  to  come 
down  handsomely  and  make  an  offer  that  will 
be  worth  her  while  to  accept." 

The  result  of   the   above   conversation  was, 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  173 

that  a   few   days  after,    Wardsworth  received 
from  Simkins  the  following  note: 

CEDARVILLE,  -    — ,  18 — . 
HARRY  WARDSWORTH,  Esq.: 

Dear  Sir: — You  are  no  doubt  aware  that  the 
signature  of  Mrs.  Wardsworth  has  never  yet 
been  obtained  to  the  deed  you  gave  to  Solomon 
Slocum,  of  the  property  on  Maple  avenue.  I 
am  instructed  by  Mr.  S.  to  say  he  would  like  her 
signature  to  complete  his  title,  and,  if  she 
insists  on  it,  is  willing  to  pay  any  reasonable 
amount  for  the  trouble  it  may  cause  her. 

Truly  yours, 

H.  SIMKINS. 

To  this  note,  the  lawyer  received  the  follow 
ing  reply: 

CEDARVILLR, ,  18 — . 

H.  SIMKINS,  Esq.: 

Dear  Sir: — My  wife  instructs  me  to  say  to 
you  that  she  declines  to  become  a  party  to  the 
deed  referred  to,  )  referring  not  to  be  associ 
ated  in  any  way  with  the  transaction. 

I  add  for  myself,  you  may  assure  your  client, 
that  personally,  I  shall  give  him  no  trouble, 
preferring  to  let  that  matter  sleep,  with  other 
similar  transactions,  in  the  grave  of  the  buried 
past.  Truly  yours, 

H.  WARDSWORTH. 

And  thus  the  matter  of  the  home  was  settled 


174        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

and  Slocum's  avarice  in  a  measure  was  satisfied. 

Three  months  went  by,  during  which  Wards- 
worth  faithfully  kept  his  pledge,  and  constantly 
implored  Divine  aid  in  carrying  out  his  resolu 
tions.  And  when,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  he 
knelt  at  the  altar  and  received  from  the  minis 
ter  of  Christ,  the  sacred  emblems  of  a  Savior's 
death,  and  was  publicly  admitted  to  the  fellow 
ship  and  communion  of  Christ's  church,  it  was 
generally  admitted  that  he  had  indeed  entered 
on  a  higher  plane  of  life,  and  that  his  reforma 
tion  was  complete. 

To  himself  that  day  was  destined  to  be  one 
of  the  most  eventful  in  his  life.  In  company 
with  his  wife,  he  had  twice  attended  church,  and 
at  the  close  of  the  evening  service  had  walked 
with  his  friend  Thornton  to  the  residence  of 
that  gentleman,  where  were  spent  a  couple  of 
hours  in  earnest  conversation.  The  past  was 
calmly  reviewed,  and  the  future  looked  to  with 
hope.  Suddenly,  as  they  conversed,  the  room 
grew  lighter.  A  moment  more  and  there  was 
heard  the  cry  of  fire,  and,  at  the  same  instant, 
there  rang  out  the  clear,  warning  notes  of  the 
fire  bell,  calling  the  brave  firemen  to  their 
terrible  conflict  with  the  angry  element. 

"Where  is  the  fire?"  asked  Thornton,  as  in 
company  with  Wardsworth  he  gained  the 
street. 

"Slocum's  distillery,"  was  the  answer,  and  a 
hundred  voices  seemed  to  take  up  the  answer 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  175 

and  echo  it — "Slocum's  distillery."  Then  there 
was  a  hurrying  of  feet  in  wild  confusion,  and 
soon  a  hundred  willing  men,  foremost  among 
whom  was  the  man  Slocum  had  so  deeply 
wronged,  were  ready  to  battle  with  the-  devour 
ing  foe. 

The  building,  which  was  wholly  of  wood, 
was  soon  enveloped  in  flames,  and  before  the 
fire  engines  arrived  all  hope  of  saving  it  was 
gone.  Still  fiercer  raged  the  fire — the  flames 
sending  forth  their  long,  forked  tongues,  hissing 
and  roaring  as  though  a  thousand  angry  demons 
were  holding  high  carnival.  They  burst  from 
the  windows,  they  wrapped  themselves  around 
the  external  walls,  they  darted  high  up  into 
the  midnight  darkness,  they  reached  far  out 
like  the  arm  of  some  avenging  foe,  outstretched 
to  grasp  his  victim. 

Nobly  indeed  did  both  firemen  and  citizens 
do  their  duty.  The  most  gigantic  efforts  were 
put  forth,  but  all  to  no  purpose;  the  building 
and  its  contents  were  all  alike  doomed,  and  the 
hour  of  its  destruction  had  come. 

Presently  a  confused  murmur,  at  first  vague 
and  undefined,  ran  through  the  crowd.  Soon 
it  took  form  and  was  passed  from  one  to  another, 
every  countenance  turning  pale  as  the  words 
fell  on  the  ear — "Slocum's  two  sons  are  in  the 
building."  On  inquiry,  it  was  learned  that  in 
company  with  one  or  two  others,  they  had  spent 
the  evening  in  the  office  playing  cards.  The 


176  THROUGH  SHADOYvT  TO  SUNSHINE. 

office  was  in  the  second  story,  near  where  the 
fire  had  first  been  discovered.  They  were  in 
toxicated  and  refused  to  go  home,  saying  they 
would  sleep  in  the  office.  This  was  all  that 
could  be  learned. 

At  that  moment,  in  another  part  of  the  build 
ing,  a  window  wras  suddenly  broken  from  the 
inside,  and  the  ghastly  face  of  one  was  seen  in 
the  very  midst  of  the  flames  preparing  to 
jump  to  the  ground.  But  before  he  could 
accomplish  his  purpose  a  sheet  of  flame  came 
down  with  a  whirl  and  a  roar,  and  striking  him 
full  in  the  face,  literally  hurled  him  back  into 
the  burning  building.  The  next  moment  the 
roof  fell  with  a  terrible  crash,  and  the  sons  were 
engulfed  in  the  sea  of  fire,  while  higher  and 
fiercer  mounted  the  flames,  as  if  in  mad  revelry 
over  the  fearful  triumph  they  had  achieved. 

Suddenly,  in  the  midst  of  the  commotion,  the 
form  of  Slocum  wras  seen  approaching  with  all 
the  speed  he  could  command,  his  countenance 
distorted  with  rage  and  excitement,  and  giving 
vent  to  the  most  blasphemous  curses.  His  eyes 
possessed  that  peculiarly  wild  look  sometimes 
seen  in  sudden  and  violent  insanity.  The 
foam  lay  out  on  the  corners  of  his  mouth,  and 
his  full  face  seemed  fuller  and  had  assumed  the 
color  of  dark  purple.  By  the  time  he  had 
reached  the  scene  of  destruction  he  was  over 
come,  and  with  one  terrible  curse  he  fell  to  the 
ground  in  a  state  of  entire  insensibility.  They 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  177 

ran  and  raised  him  up,  while  two  or  three 
physicians  who  were  present  went  to  his  aid; 
but  a  speedy  examination  revealed  the  hope 
lessness  of  the  case,  and  instructions  were 
immediately  given  for  his  removal  to  his  home. 
They  conveyed  him  back  to  his  house  and  did 
all  that  science  and  skill  could  accomplish  to 
avert  the  impending  fate ;  but  it  was  evident  to 
all  that  the  day  of  his  retribution  had  come,  and 
as  the  flickering  flames  died  out  from  the  ruins 
of  the  doomed  manufactory  of  death,  the  spirit 
of  its  owner  went  up^  to  its  account  before  the 
God  against  whom  he  had  so  long  and  so  griev 
ously  sinned. 

When  the  ruins  had  sufficiently  cooled  to 
permit  it,  they  gathered  all  that  was  left  of  the 
bones  of  the  dead  sons,  and,  with  the  form  of 
the  dead  father,  they  were  laid  iri  one  grave  in 
Rosebloom  cemetery.  The  career  of  Solomon 
Slocum  had  closed  in  the  darkness  of  death,  and 
few  indeed  were  the  mourners  who  wept. 

But  alas  for  the  wife  and  mother,  who  had 
always  possessed  a  refined  and  sensitive  nature, 
all  too  much  so  for  her  own  happiness,  as  the 
wife  of  such  a  man  as  Slocum.  On  her  the 
calamity  of  his  death  and  that  of  the  sons,  fell 
with  crushing  force,  from  the  effect  of  which 
she  never  rallied.  As  some  sensitive  flower, 
touched  by  the  sudden  and  early  frost  perishes, 
so  she  drooped,  and  at  the  end  of  two  months 
the  messenger  came  and  folded  her  to  rest. 


178         THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

Another  procession  was  formed,  another  grave 
was  opened,  and  Rosebloom  cemetery  received 
yet  another  victim  of  the  rum  traffic.  Again 
had  the  innocent  been  made  to  suffer  for  the 
sins  of  the  guilty,  but  over  against  the  whole 
was  written,  "The  judgments  of  the  Lord  are 
true  and  righteous  altogether." 


CHAPTER  .XIII. 

SUNSHINE. 

Time  in  its  ever  restless  march  has  swiftly  pass 
ed,  heedless  alike  of  the  joys  and  sorrows,  the 
happy  spirits  and  broken  hearts  which  it  has 
passed  in  its  swift  course.  Three  years  more 
have  elapsed,  and  once  more,  and  for  the  last 
time,  we  visit  the  beautiful  city  of  Cedarville. 

To  the  city,  as  well  as  to  many  of  its  inhab 
itants,  those  three  years  have  brought  many 
changes.  O] d  familiar  forms  have  vanished,  and 
in  their  stead  appear  new  faces.  There  is  the 
same  restless  activity  that  characterizes  all  our 
growing  western  cities,  but  Cedarville  appears 
different  from  what  it  did  when  we  last  visited 
it.  Then  it  wore  an  appearance  of  neglect.  Its 
streets  were  uncared  for  and  many  of  its  build 
ings  were  more  or  less  dilapidated.  Now 
everything  seemed  changed  for  the  better.  The 


THEOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.        179 

streets  are  neatly  cleaned,  many  of  the  old 
buildings  replaced  with  new  and  more  im 
posing  structures,  and  the  whole  city  shows 
evidence  of  being  on  the  high  road  to  prosperity. 

One  class  of  buildings  we  miss,  and  at  once 
our  interest  is  aroused.  The  corner  saloon  is 
gone.  The  low,  dirty  looking  buildings,  with 
red  curtains  at  the  windows  and  green  painted 
screens  just  within  the  door,  are  conspicuous  by 
their  absence.  At  once  we  define  the  cause  of 
the  change,  and  as  we  think  of  those  whom  we 
knew  so  well,  and  remember  their  bitter  struggles 
or  their  terrible  retribution,  we  pause,  overcome 
by  a  flood  of  painful  emotion. 

Instinctively  we  turn  toward  the  place  where 
once  stood  Slocum's  distillery,  and  where  we  last 
saw  the  lurid  flames  enwrap  the  doomed  build 
ing.  Approaching  the  spot  we  see  a  large  and 
costly  brick  stucture.  From  its  tall  chimney 
the  black  smoke  is  issuing,  while  from  two  or 
three  exhaust  pipes  the  white  steam  belches 
forth  as  if  conscious  of  its  power  and  usefulness. 
On  a  large,  wide  sign  board,  running  the  whole 
length  of  the  roof,  we  read,  "CEDARVILLE  AGRI 
CULTURAL  WORKS."  It  is  the  hour  of  noon.  The 
whistle  sounds,  and  forthwith  there  comes  from 
within  its  walls  a  hundred  sturdy  men,  their 
strong,  sinewy  arms  bare  to  the  elbows,  their 
faces  covered  with  the  dust  of  honest  toil,  and, 
with  quick,  firm  step  each  one  goes  his  way  to 
the  home  where  cheerful  faces  wait  to  greet  him. 


180        THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

There  is  no  longer  any  doubt  as  to  the  cause 
of  the  changed  appearance  of  the  city.  The 
absence  of  the  distillery  and  saloon,  the  presence 
of  so  large  a  factory  where  honest  toil  can  pur 
sue  its  course  unhindered  by  the  debasing  and 
destroying  influence  of  rum,  is  sufficient  expla 
nation  for  all  the  changes  so  noticeable  in 
Cedarville. 

One  building  especially  attracts  our  attention. 
It  is  a  handsome  and  imposing  structure  stand 
ing  directly  on  the  corner,  where,  three  years 
ago  stood  Sweney's  saloon. 

It  is  a  large,  new  wholesale  store,  built  a  year 
ago  by  Mr.  Sherwood;  and  from  one  of  the 
windows  of  the  second  story  there  hangs  out  a 
beautiful  and  attractive  sign  bearing  the  names 
of  "Ferguson  &  Wardsworth,  attorneys  at 
law." 

Two  years  previously  the  lovers  of  law  and 
order  had  made  another  vigorous  effort  to  secure 
the  passage  of  a  prohibitory  liquor  law  for  the 
city,  and  had  succeeded  even  beyond  their  own 
expectations.  The  no  license  ticket  had  been 
carried  in  Cedarville  by  such  an  overwhelming 
majority  that  the  saloon  keepers  and  their 
friends  saw  how  hopeless  it  would  be  longer  to 
continue  the  fight,  most  of  them  either  gave  up 
the  business  or  removed  to  other  and  more  con 
genial  communities.  Some  few  remained,  re 
solved  to  defy  the  law,  but  the  sentiment  of  the 
people  was  against  them,  and  after  one  or  two 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.          181 

fines  and  imprisonments,  they  too  gave  up 
the  unequal  strife  and  departed  for  a  different 
moral  atmosphere. 

At  the  request  of  Wardsworth  and  others, 
Ferguson  had  visited  the  city  and  spent  a  week 
in  aiding  the  temperance  party  in  their  agita 
tion  ;  and  when  the  battle  was  ended  and  the 
victory  won,  he  was  induced  to  join  Wards- 
worth,  who  had  already  regained  the  greater 
part  of  his  popularity  and  practice,  in  prosecut 
ing  a  more  extensive  business. 

The  names  of  Ferguson  &  Wardsworth  had 
already  become  a  tower  of  strength.  The 
suffering  and  oppressed  ever  found  in  them 
safe  counsellors  and  friends.  A  year  had  not 
passed  since  their  union  in  business  till  they 
become  the  acknowledged  leaders  at  the  bar  of 
the  State.  Remembering  all  the  past,  they 
lived  and  labored  together,  not  merely  for  what 
money  they  could  make,  but  for  the  good  they 
were  enabled  to  do.- 

To  Wardsworth  and  his  home  those  years 
have  brought  sunshine  in  more  ways  than  one. 
After  the  death  of  Slocum,  his  property  passed 
into  the  hands  of  his  creditors,  and  in  due 
course  was  offered  for  sale.  On  investigation  it 
was  found  that  the  assets  were  more  than 
sufficient  to  pay  all  the  claims  against  the  estate, 
with  the  cost  of  administration,  without  the 
necessity  of  the  creditors  bidding  in  any  of  the 
property.  And  so  it  happened  when  the  resi- 


182  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

dence  on  Maple  avenue  was  offered,  the  public 
remembering  pretty  well  how  Slocum  became 
possessed  of  it,  and  knowing  that  a  cloud  still 
rested  on  the  title,  were  either  too  generous  to 
take  it  from  the  rightful  owner,  or  too  timid  to 
risk  their  money  on  uncertainty;  and  when  it 
was  "knocked  down,"  for  three  thousand  dollars, 
it  was  found  that  Thos.  Sherwood,  acting  oil 
behalf  of  Harry  Wardsworth,  had  become  the 
purchaser. 

To  have  the  deed  made  in  Wardsworth's 
name,  and  to  put  him  in  possession,  was  but  the 
work  of  a  few  days,  and  so  to  the  devoted  wife 
the  sunshine  grew  brighter  and  brighter,  and 
once  more  her  cheerful  songs  awoke  the  echoes 
within  the  walls  of  the  home  that  had  been 
alike  the  witness  of  her  greatest  joy  and 
deepest  sorrow. 

The  sun  still  lingers  in  the  west,  as  if  loth  to 
leave  a  scene  of  such  hallowed  peace  and  beauty, 
as  we  stroll  along  Maple  avenue  to  take  one 
lingering  look  at  the  home  of  the  Wardsworths. 
The  home  and  grounds  are  but  little  changed, 
but  what  change  there  is,  is  for  the  better.  All 
the  wood  work  has  been  newly  painted  and 
grounds  nicely  laid  off,  while  the  fragrance  of 
early  blooming  flowers  greet  us  as  we  approach, 
and  seemingly  invite  us  to  enter. 

Seated  on  the  veranda  is  a  man  of  apparently 
middle  age,  who,  though  changed  since  last  we 
met  him,  we  recognize  as  Harry  Wardsworth. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  183 

His  countenance  wears  a  look  of  thoughtful 
cheerfulness,  and  ever  and  anon  lights  up  with 
a  smile  at  some  pleasant  remark  from  his  wife, 
who  sits  just  within  the  opened  window,  where 
she  can  carry  on  the  conversation  with 
her  husband,  and  at  the  sam*  time,  keep  her 
eye  on  a  second  "Little  Harry,"  who  has  come 
to  add  his  quota  of  blessing  to  the  already  happy 
parents.  From  the  husband's  brow  the  dark 
locks  are  thrown  back,  revealing  here  and  there 
a  few  threads  of  silver,  which  speak  more  of  life 
struggles  than  of  age. 

.  The  reader  need  not  be  told  that  Wards- 
worth  has  faithfully  kept  his  pledge.  With  his 
feet  planted  upon  the  rock  of  Eternal  strength, 
he  has  been  enabled  to  hurl  defiance  at  his  foe, 
and  has  come  off  conqueror. 

With  his  wife  the  change  is  more  marked 
than  with  himself.  We  can  hardly  believe  her 
to  be  the  same  pale,  care-worn  woman  of  three 
years  ago.  The  old  smile  has  returned,  and 
though  the  traces  of  the  fires  through  which 
she  has  passed  yet  remain,  it  is  evident  they 
have  but  consumed  the  dross,  while  the  pure 
gold  has  come  forth  from  the  furnace  refined 
and  purified. 

In  her  hand  she  holds  a  letter  which  she  has 
been  reading  to  her  husband.  Using  an  au 
thor's  pivilege,  we  glance  at  the  neatly  traced 
page,  and  read  as  follows: 


184  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

CEDARVILLE,—  —,18 — . 

Dear  Sister  Kate, — Although  it  is  not  long 
since  I  wrote  you,  I  am  impelled  by  the  fill]  ness 
of  my  heart  to  address  you  once  again.  I  write 
not  only  for  my  own  sake,  but  on  Harry's  behalf 
as  well. 

I  am  forcibly  reminded  of  that  sad  letter  I 
penned  to  you,  now  nearly  four  years  ago,  and 
as  I  remember  the  past  and  realize  the  present, 
it  all  seems  like  some  dream,  and  I  can  hardly 
believe  I  have  passed  through  sorrow's  dark 
night,  so  bright  and  beautiful  appears  the 
morning. 

I  have  told  you,  in  a  former  letter,  how  we 
became  re-possessed  of  our  beautiful  home.  I 
must  tell  you  now  that  Harry  has  paid  the  last 
dollar  of  claim,  and  this  dear  home  is  ours  once 
more.  Harry  has  explained  all  about  that  hun 
dred  and  fifty  dollars,  and  I  know  whence  it 
came,  and  while  my  heart  goes  out  in  loving 
gratitude  to  you,  my  dear  sister,  both  for  my 
sake  and  husband's  please  accept  the  inclosed 
draft  in  payment  of  principal  and  interest. 

Now,  dear  sister,  pemit  me  to  ask  once  more, 
can  you  not  come  and  visit  me.  Harry  says  if 
you  will,  I  may  go  back  home  with  you,  and  I 
will.  I  long  to  see  you  all,  but  first  I  want 
you  to  come  and  share  my  joy. 

As  I  think  of  all  the  way  "a  Father's  hand 
has  led  me,"  I  am  ready  to  exclaim  with  Israel's 
psalmist  of  old,  "Thou  annointst  my  head  with 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  185 

oil,  my  cup  runneth  over."  I  am  convinced 
that  one  reason  why  so  many  wives  fail  in  their 
efforts  to  reclaim  their  husbands,  is  because, 
either  they  do  riot  let  their  prayers  and  efforts 
go  hand  in  hand,  or  else  their  faith  fails  them 
and  they  too  quickly  yield  in  the  struggle.  Be 
this  as  it  may;  for  me,  I  will  ever  render  the 
tribute  of  my  gratitude,  that  though  we  have 
passed  through  the  shadows,  we  have  reached 
the  sunshine  at  last.  SISTER  BELLE. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

CONCLUSION. 

Thus  ends  our  simple  story.  We  trust  that 
our  readers  have  not  only  been  interested,  but 
that  they  have  been  instructed  and  benefiitted 
as  well,  by  thus  getting  a  clearer  insight  into 
the  workings  of  the  liquor  traffic — this  most 
deadly  foe  to  all  that  is  good  and  pure  in  the 
home  circle.  Would,  dear  reader,  that  this 
were  merely  a  story  of  fiction — that  the  scenes 
here  pictured,  existed  only  in  our  imagination. 
But,  unfortunately,  this  is  not  so.  In  many  of 
those  scenes  the  author  has,  either  as  a  physi 
cian  or  a  minister,  been  called  to  bear  a  painful 
part.  He  can  bear  testimony,  not  only  that 
they  are  true,  but  that  one-half  the  sad  truth 
has  not  been  written.  It  is  a  story  of  tempta- 


186  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

tion  and  trial — of  sinning  and  suffering — of 
disappointment  and  despair — of  ruin  and  re 
morse — such  as  finds  its  counterpart  in  thou 
sands  of  American  homes  at  the  present  day. 
No  pen  of  fiction  can  write  the  lines,  no  pencil 
of  artist  can  drape  the  scenes,  in  a  manner  to 
do  the  subject  justice. 

Doubtless  many,  whose  eyes  may  trace  these 
pages,  will,  themselves — perhaps  all  too  sadly 
— recognize  the  pictures  we  have  drawn,  the 
histories  we  have  written.  We  ask,  are  they 
not,  alas !  too  true  to  life  ?  Is  not  the  whole 
history  of  the  liquor  traffic  a  history  of  broken 
hearts,  of  blasted  hopes,  of  blighted  prospects, 
of  physical  and  -mental  wrecks  ?  Is  not  its  re 
cord  a  record  of  crimes  committed,  of  fortunes 
wasted,  of  health  and  happiness  destroyed,  and 
paupers  and  criminals  multiplied?  Has  it  not 
written  its  history  with  the  blood  of  the  millions 
it  has  slain,  and  paved  its  pathway  with  the 
dead  bodies  of  its  murdered  victims? 

Sanctioned  and  protected  by  legal  enact 
ments,  with  whom  it  has  joined  hands  in  its 
cruel  warfare  against  the  weak  and  defenseless, 
and  courted  by  political  parties  for  its  power 
in  elections,  has  it  not  gone  on,  filling  our  poor 
houses  with  its  paupers,  our  asylums  with  its 
lunatics,  our  prisons  with  its  criminals,  our 
cemeteries  with  its  dead,  and  the  whole  land 
with  bitter  lamentation  and  woe  ? 

Alas !  that  in  our  otherwise  free  and  enlight- 


THROUGH  SHADOW   TO    SUNSHINE.  187 

ened  America  such  things  should  be !  That  in 
ten  thousand  cities,  towns  and  villages,  through 
out  this  country,  claiming  to  be  a  Christian 
land,  there  are  written  daily,  just  such  sad  life 
histories,  as  the  result  of  the  legalized  liquor 
traffic.  That  in  this  Christian  land,  from  sev 
enty  to  a  hundred  thousand  citizens  are  slain 
every  year,  and  this  wholesale  destruction  of 
human  life,  is  sanctioned  by  the  people  for  a 
money  consideration. 

Disguise  the  truth  as  we  may,  or  seek  to  evade 
its  force,  the  awful  fact  stares  us  in  the  face, 
that,  besides  the  untold  misery  and  anguish  it 
produces,  the  paupers,  idiots,  lunatics  and  crim 
inals  it  sends  forth,  the  American  people  are, 
through  this  traffic,  sanctioning  the  annual 
murder  of  from  seventy  to  a  hundred  thousand 
of  our  citizens  evey  year  for  a  money  consid 
eration. 

Does  the  reader  reply,  "This  is  a  strong 
statement?"  We  admit  it,  and  sorrow  because, 
that  strong  as  it  is,  it  is  more  than  justified  by 
the  facts.  Does  not  the  saloon-keeper  engage 
in  this  unrighteous  business,  well  knowing  its 
death-dealing  influences,  because  of  the  large 
profits  derived  from  his  sales  ?  A  profit  said  to 
exceed  eighty  per  cent.  Do  not  the  city 
councils  license  the  saloon-keeper,  because  of 
the  money  it  puts  into  the  treasury?  Do  not 
the  people  sanction  the  granting  of  those 
licenses,  because  the  fund  thus  raised,  lightens 


188  THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

their  financial  burdens  and  lessens  the  amount 
of  their  taxes  ?     Does  not  the  general  govern 
ment   permit   the   manufacture   of   the  liquor 
because  of  the  revenue  derived  therefrom  ?     Do 
not  the  people  support  the  government  in  thus 
permitting  its  manufacture,  for  a  money  con 
sideration,  because   the   revenue  thus  derived 
lessens  direct  taxation  ?     Is  not  every  argument 
against    the    manufacture    and    sale    of    this 
destructive  agency,  met  with  the  counter  argu 
ment,  that  the  country  needs  and  must  have 
this  revenue  ?     Is  it  claimed  that  the  American 
people  delight  in  this  human  misery  and  suffer 
ing,  and  continue  that  which  produces  them, 
simply  for  the   pleasure   which   the   suffering 
affords  them  ?     In  short,  would  all  this  whole 
sale   destruction   of    fortune   and   reason   and 
happiness  and  human  life,  be  continued  for  a 
single  day,  were  it  not  for  the  financial  benefit, 
it  is  claimed  the  country  derives  from  the  man 
ufacture  and  sale  of  that  which  destroys?     We 
submit  that  the  most  charitable  view  which  we 
can  reasonably  take  of  this  subject,  is  the  view 
we  have  here  taken ;  and  that  110  statement   or 
fact  can  be  more  clearly  proven,  than  that  the 
American  people  are    sanctioning   this   whole 
sale  destruction  of   human   life,   for  a  money 
consideration.* 

*In  this  statement  the  author  would  censure  himself  equal 
ly  with  others.  So  strong  have  been  his  party  affiliations., 
that  it  has  taken  him  a  lifetime  to  learn  the  lesson  of  duty. 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

And  what  of  its  future  ?  This  is  the  one 
great  question  of  the  day ;  before  which  all 
other  questions  of  state  policy  sink  into  insig 
nificance.  A  question  that  will  be  neither 
thrust  aside,  nor  satisfied  with  an  evasive 
answer.  A  question  that  it  is  neither  wise, 
nor  just  now  humane,  for  any  party  or  state 
longer  to  evade.  A  question  that  must  be  set 
tled,  and  that  can  only  be  permanently  settled 
in  one  way — and  this  in  a  way  to  meet  the 
approval  of  an  enlightened  human  conscience, 
and  the  dictates  of  justice  and  humanity. 

It  remains  for  the  American  people  to  say— 
because  the  will  of  the  people  is  law — whether 
this  mighty  torrent  of  human  degradation  and 
death  shall  be  permitted  to  flow  on,  or  whether 
they  will  arise  in  the  strength  of  their  might 
and  arrest  it.  If  it  continues  in  the  future,  as 
in  the  past,  annually  to  bear  this  great  army  of 
ruined,  murdered  victims,  on  its  dark  and  dis 
mal  current,  out  to  a  darker  and  more  dismal 
eternity  beyond,  it  will  be  because  either  the 
people  so  decree  it,  or  remain  indifferent  specta 
tors  of  the  scene,  while  the  work  of  destruction 
goes  on. 

Let  one  fact  be  remembered,  and  act  as  a 
stimulant  in  this  great  conflict.  Not  a  single 
home  is  safe.  Not  a  single  family  can  claim 
positive  exemption.  Your  own  dear  boy,  the 
pride  of  your  life,  may  yet  be  overtaken  by  the 
destroyer  and  slain,  or  your  own  dear  girl,  the 


190      THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

idol  of  your  heart,  and  the  sunlight  of  your 
home,  may  yet  sit  with  weeping  eyes  and  break 
ing  heart,  amid  the  desolations,  caused  by  the 
traffic  which  your  influence  has  sustained. 
Amid  such  a  sorrow,  of  what  significance  will 
be  the  question  of  the  tariif ,  or  any  other  of  the 
hundred  questions,  designing  politicians  would 
lead  us  to  believe  must  be  settled,  before  we  can 
stop  to  save  the  husbands,  brothers,  sons  and 
neighbors  of  our  land  from  the  terrible  destruc 
tion  everywhere  overtaking  them? 

What  say  you,  reader,  holding  in  your  hand 
that  mightiest  of  all  civil  forces,  the  ballot  of 
an  American  voter?  What  say  you,  desolate 
father,  standing  over  the  grave  of  your  first  bom, 
ruined  and  murdered  by  rum,  that  your  neigh 
bor  might  save  a  few  dollars  in  his  school  taxes '( 
What  say  you,  heart-broken  mother,  looking  out 
into  the  midnight  darkness,  for  the  coming  of 
your  boy,  whose  feet  have  already  been  "lured 
by  the  law"  into  the  way  of  death  ?  What  say 
you,  stricken  wife,  as  you  turn  from  the  grave  of 
the  father  of  your  children,  slain  by  the  legal 
ized  liquor  traffic,  and  the  price  of  whose  blood 
has  been  paid  into  the  treasury  ?  What  say 
you,  oh  Christian,  who,  for  a  few  paltry  pence, 
saved  in  your  school  taxes,  would  thus  put  de 
struction  in  your  brother's  path?  What  say 
you,  one  and  all  ?  Shall  we  who  boast  of  being 
a  free  people,  remain  longer  in  bondage  to  such 
a  tyrant  ?  Or  shall  we  rise,  and,  in  the  name 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.  191 

of  God  and  humanity,  hurl  the  monster  from 
our  shores,  and  resolve  to  protect  our  country 
and  our  homes  ? 

Hark  ! !  The  answer  comes  back  to  us.  It  is 
heard  in  that  wail  of  anguish  that  comes 
from  those  seventy  thousand  desolate  homes. 
It  comes  borne  upon  the  breeze  as  it  sighs  a  low 
sad  requiem  over  those  seventy  thousand  dis 
honored  graves.  It  is  heard  in  that  unmistak 
able  murmur  of  indignation  and  resolve  that  is 
heard  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  from 
Minnesota  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  We  read  the 
answer  in  the  marshaling  of  the  mighty  host, 
clad  in  the  panoply  of  truth,  and  resolved  in 
God's  name  to  conquer.  They  have  heard  the 
clarion  note,  calling  them  to  battle,  arid,  gird 
ing  on  their  armor,  are  rallying  to  the  watch 
word  PROHIBITION.  From  Northern  vales  and 
Southern  glades;  from  Eastern  hills  and 
Western  plains  they  come.  Led  on  by  a  thou 
sand  societies,  who  for  years'have  laid  broad  and 
deep  the  foundation  of  those  principles,  for  the 
establishment  of  which  the  battle  rages.  In  the 
front  ranks,  behold  a  great  array  of  nohle  women, 
who  have  gathered  for  the  conflict,  and  on  whose 
banners  is  inscribed  in  letters  of  living  light, 
'•For  God  and  Home  and  Native  Land."  From 
a  hundred  thousand  homes,  in  which  hope 
again  succeeds  to  blank  espai  ,  is  heard  the 
pleading  prayer,  "God  bless  and  speed  them  on 
their  mission."  State  after  state  has  already 


192  THEOUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE. 

caught  the  inspiration  of  a  great  principle,  and 
their  camp  fires  are  brightly  burning  to  cheer 
their  comrades,  as  they  rally  for  the  coming 
conflict. 

And  what  shall  be  the  answer  of  our  state? 
— of  all  the  states  ?  What  shall  be  the  answer 
of  our  country — of  my  country  ?  The  country 
of  my  adoption,  the  country  of  my  home.  To 
me  fairer  than  my  own  native  land — than  any 
other  land  under  the  sun.  With  a  history  more 
precious,  and  a  future  more  promising  than  any 
other  nation  on  the  globe.  Would  to  God,  that 
America  might  lead  the  van  in  this  grand  for 
ward  movement,  and  set  an  example  for  the  rest 
of  the  nations  to  follow. 

Let  every  Christian  but  act,  in  this  matter, 
from  the  standpoint  of  true  religion.  Let  every 
citizen  be  governed  by  the  truest  principles  of 
patriotism.  Lf't  all  the  people  unite  to  carry 
out  the  noblest  principles  of  political  economy. 
Let  this  be  done,  and  half  a  decade  will  not  pass, 
till  our  country  shall  come  up,  out  of  the  deep 
dark  shadows,  that  have  so  long  enshrouded  her, 
into  the  bright  and  beautiful  sunshine  of  that 
day,  foretold  by  the  prophetic  bard,  ages  ago, 
when  "The  voice  of  weeping  shall  be  no  more 
heard  in  the  land,  nor  the  voice  of  cursing. 
There  shall  no  more  be  thence  an  infant  of  days, 
nor  an  old  man  who  has  not  filled  his  days,  for 
the  child  shall  die  an  hundred  years  old.  They 
shall  build  houses  and  inhabit  them.  They 


THROUGH  SHADOW  TO  SUNSHINE.        193 

shall  plant  vineyards  and  eat  the  fruit  of  them. 
They  shall  not  build,  and  another  inhabit;  they 
shall  not  plant  and  another  eat  the  fruit  thereof, 
for  as  the  days  of  a  tree  shall  be  the  days  of 
my  people." 


THE  END. 


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